Bignoniaceae Juss.

Bignoniaceae, H. Heine. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs, sometimes scandent, very rarely herbs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, rarely alternate, mostly compound, digitate or pinnate, sometimes the terminal leaflet tendril-like (but not in the native genera of W.Africa); stipules absent, pseudostipules present in some genera

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers often showy, hermaphrodite, more or less zygomorphic

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, closed or open in bud, truncate or 5-toothed, sometimes spathaceous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla with 5 imbricate lobes sometimes forming 2 lips, the upper of 2, the lower of 3 lobes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Anthers connivent in pairs or rarely free, 2-celled, opening lengthwise; staminode representing the fifth stamen often short, sometimes absent, often 3 present when only two stamens Stamens alternate with the corolla-lobes, only 4 or 2 perfect

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk usually present

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary superior, 2-celled with 2 placentas in each cell or 1-celled with parietal bifid placentas Style terminal, 2-lipped; ovules numerous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit capsular or fleshy and indehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds often winged, without endosperm; embryo straight

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution

A family of about 104 genera and approximately 860 species, mainly in tropical America. In New Guinea only seven genera are recorded and, not including the ones only known from cultivation, only four genera with about five species can be considered arborescent.

Morphology General Habit

Trees, shrubs or lianas, twigs often lenticellate, nodes sometimes with glands

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent but sometimes proximal leaflets on compound leaves forming pseudo-stipules

Morphology General

Sap absent. Leaves compound (digitate or imparipinnate), rarely simple, opposite, usually decussate, rarely in whorls, margins entire to serrate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal, axillary or on old wood, thyrsoid to racemose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers usually very showy and large, bisexual, 5-merous; calyx connate; corolla sympetalous, campanulate to trumpet shaped or salver-shaped, mostly zygomorphic, lobes equal or not, valvate or imbricate in bud, colourful; stamens 5, sometimes with 1 staminode, often inserted on the rim of the basal tube, often didynamous, exceeding the corolla tube; ovary superior, syncarpous, 2 carpellate, style terminal-Fruit a 2-valved capsule

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, usually with hyaline wings.

Timothy Utteridge & Gemma Bramley (2020). The Kew Tropical Plant Families Identification Handbook, Second Edition. Kew Publishing Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Note

Leaves opposite; 2–3 foliolate, pinnate or palmate, less often simple. Corolla tubular, usually zygomorphic; ovary superior. Fruit a bivalved capsule, rarely fleshy and indehiscent. Seeds numerous, often flat, winged.

Recognition

Characters of similar families: Rubiaceae: stipules, interpetiolar stipules, inferior ovary. Rutaceae: parts of calyx and corolla free. Leguminosae: stipules, corolla not tubular, fruit a legume. Lamiaceae: up to 4 nutlets or 1–4(14)-seeded drupe.

Morphology General Habit

Trees, or lianas, sometimes shrubs, rarely herbs; stipules absent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, rarely alternate, 2–3-foliolate, pinnate or palmate, less often simple; terminal pinna of lianas often a tendril

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence solitary or in racemes or thyrses, terminal, or axillary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers often showy, usually zygomorphic, rarely actinomorphic; calyx 5-lobed, sometimes spathaceous, rarely unlobed, rarely with calyptras; corolla tubular, 5-lobed, often 2-lipped, often campanulate, lobes well developed or reduced; stamens usually 4, didynamous, with additional staminode; occasionally only 2 stamens fertile, 3 staminodial; rarely with 5 fertile stamens; ovary superior, 2-carpellate, bilocular with a septum, sometimes unilocular with axile placentation or 2 or 4 intruding parietal placentae; ovules usually numerous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a bivalved capsule, mostly dehiscent, rarely fleshy and indehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds often flat, winged (wind-dispersed), more rarely thicker and corky (water-dispersed), or embedded in pulp when fruit indehiscent.

Distribution

A pantropical family with its centre of diversity in northern South America: 110 genera and c. 790 species.

Ecology

Typical habitat is tropical rain forest or dry forest, savanna or cerrado.

Description Author

Gemma Bramley

Bignoniaceae, Sally Bidgood, Bernard Verdcourt, Kaj Vollesen. Cobaeaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2006

Morphology General Habit

Trees, shrubs or woody climbers, rarely (not native in Flora area) perennial or shrubby herbs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, pinnate, bipinnate, digitately 2–3-foliolate or (not native in Flora area) simple, terminal leaflet sometimes replaced by a tendril.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent but pseudostipules often developed and sometimes foliaceous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers large and showy, bisexual, in several to many-flowered terminal or axillary racemes or panicles, or in fascicles, or solitary on dwarf shoots.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx gamosepalous, 5-toothed or -lobed to almost truncate or splitting spathaceously.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla gamopetalous, from almost symmetric to strongly bilaterally symmetrical; tube campanulate to infundibuliform or cylindrical; limb 5-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, didynamous or (more rarely) subequal, adnate to the corolla tube, included or exserted, staminode often present.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers 2-thecous (rarely 1-thecous), usually divergent, dehiscing longitudinally.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk usually conspicuous, annular or tubular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary superior, 2-carpellate, 2-locular with axile placentation or ( Kigelia) unilocular with parietal placentation.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary Ovules

Ovules numerous in each locule.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style one, terminal.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma bilobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a capsule, dehiscing by 2 loculicidal or septicidal valves, perpendicular or parallel to the septum, or ( Kigelia) fleshy and indehiscent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, compressed and winged in species with capsular fruits, wingless in species with indehiscent fruits.

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers perfect, zygomorphic, often large, usually in cymes or racemes, sometimes solitary or clustered

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx bell-shaped, usually 5-toothed or -lobed, sometimes truncate or spathe-like; corolla gamopetalous, 5-lobed, sometimes 2-lipped

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4 (rarely 2), inserted in the corolla-tube; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise, the cells often widely divergent; 1–3 staminodes sometimes present

Morphology General Habit

A hypogynous, ring-like or cup-shaped disc present Trees, shrubs, or vines, rarely herbs; leaves opposite or rarely alternate, simple, trifoliolate, pinnately compound or sometimes digitate; if trifoliolate, the terminal leaflet often modified to a tendril; stipules absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary superior, 2-celled, with numerous ovules borne on 2 axile placentas in each cavity, or the ovary 1-celled with 2 bifid parietal placentas; style terminal, simple with 2-lobed stigma

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit indehiscent or else a 2-valved capsule; seeds without endosperm, those from capsular fruits often winged.

Distribution

A pantropical family of about 120 genera and 800 species, the great majority in tropical America.