Bignoniaceae

Taxonomic status Accepted
Occurrence status Present
Origin Introduced

Trees, shrubs or woody climbers, rarely herbs. Leaves opposite or rarely whorled, simple or pinnately compound, sometimes with tendrils, usually glandular below; stipules absent. Inflorescence upper-axillary or terminal, cymes or racemes, or flowers solitary. Flowers more or less zygomorphic, bisexual, usually showy, often subtended by a bract and 1 or 2 bracteoles; calyx tubular, 5-lobed or truncate; corolla tubular, 5-lobed, often 2-lipped; stamens attached to base of corolla-tube, usually in 2 pairs of unequal length, or 2 stamens only (1 or 3 staminodes often present), anthers basifixed, 2-celled, opening by longitudinal slits; disc usually present, annular; ovary superior, elongate, usually 2-celled, ovules many per cell, style simple, stigma 2-lobed. Fruit a loculicidal or septicidal 2-valved capsule, rarely fleshy and indehiscent; seeds many, usually flat with a hyaline wing.

About 120 genera with c. 800 species, chiefly in tropical and subtropical regions, rarely extending to temperate regions; 10 genera in Australia.

Source:

Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Bignoniaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., ‍Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae‍, pp. 546–547. Inkata Press, Melbourne.

Bignoniaceae (hero image) Spinning