Bauhinia galpinii fruit pods

The woody Bauhinia galpinii pods are big and brown as they ripen, each ending in a narrowly protruded, pointed tip. The fruit becomes up to 10 cm long.

The pods are dehiscent, releasing their seeds with celebratory percussion violence. This event occurs after several months of slow ripening on the plant. When winter arrives, the seeds are ready to benefit from the spring rains for germination. 

There are butterflies from the Deudorix genus that breed in these pods. The larvae eat the seeds. So, the plant produces as much as possible, some for its guests, some for its future (Manning, 2009; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993; iNaturalist).