Bauhinia hekouensis T. Y. Tu & D. X. Zhang (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae), a narrow endemic from Hekou County, Yunnan Province, in southwestern China, is described and illustrated. The new species can be diagnosed by a combination of characters, including tendrilled lianas; bilobed leaves with nine to 11 nerves; terminal, racemose inflorescences; spindle-shaped, slightly falcate flower buds with acute apices; tubular hypanthium; five freely reflexed sepals during anthesis; and large white flowers with oblanceolate, crisped petal blades. The general morphology suggests an affinity of the new species to series Clavatae (de Wit) Wunderlin of section Phanera (Lour.) Wunderlin in Bauhinia L., especially to the species B. coccinea (Lour.) DC. and B. nervosa (Wall. ex Benth.) Baker.