Bignonia

Bignonia, common name for a medium-sized family of mostly tropical woody climbers, and for the only member of its representative genus, the cross vine. The showy flowers of the bignonias exhibit many features of the order to which the family belongs (see Figwort). The tubular calyx (group of fused sepals) has five lobes, and the corolla (group of fused petals) is funnel-shaped with two or four stamens attached to the inside surface. The long, tubular flowers show adaptations to pollination by a variety of flying animals, including insects, birds, and bats, although each species is usually visited by one or a few specific pollinators.

Bignonias are mostly tropical in distribution, with the greatest concentration of species in South America, where they form dense climbing vines in the forests. Some of the tropical members are exploited for timber. Popular as ornamentals are the calabash tree, jacarandas, and the sausage tree. The cross vine is an evergreen climber native to the southeastern United States. Its close relative, the familiar trumpet creeper, or trumpet vine, is of wider distribution in the United States. Catalpa is also a member of the family, as is the desert willow of the southwestern United States and adjoining Mexico.

Scientific classification: Bignonias make up the family Bignoniaceae of the order Scrophulariales. The cross vine is classified as Bignonia capreolata and the calabash tree as Crescentia cujete. Jacarandas are classified in the genus Jacaranda. The sausage tree is classified as Kigelia pinnata. Trumpet vines are classified in the genus Campsis and catalpas in the genus Catalpa. The desert willow is classified as Chilopsis linearis.