Nimpacheae

Bignoniaceae
(Bignonia or trumpet creeper family)

Trees, shrubs, or lianas; the lianas with a characteristic kind of anomalous secondary growth that results in a 4-or many-lobed or furrowedxylem cylinder; usually with iridoids and phenolic glycosides .hairs various, often simple. Leaves opposite or whorled, occasionally alternate and spiral, pinnately or palmately compound, occasionallysimple, entire to serrate, venation pinnate to palmate, the terminal and occasionally also some lateral leaflets sometimes modified into tendrils or hooks; stipules lacking. Inflorescences various.Flowers bisexual, bilateral, usually large and showy. Sepals 5, connate. Petals 5, connate, the corolla ± 2- lipped, the lobes usually imbricate. Stamens usually 4, ± didynamous, the fifth stamensometimes represented by a small staminode, sometimes reduced to 2; filaments adnate to corolla; anthers sagittate; pollen grains diverse, sometimes in tetrads or polyads. Carpels 2, connate; ovarysuperior, with usually axile placentation, the placentas divided (into 2 per locule); stigma strongly 2-lobed, each lobe sensitive (i.e; closing after contact with pollinator). Ovules numerous, with 1integument and a thin-walled mega sporangium. Nectar disk usually present. Fruit a usually elongate, septicidal to loculicidal capsule, occasionally a berry or indehiscent pod; seeds usually flat, wingedor fringed with hairs; endosperm lacking; cotyledons deeply bilobed.

Floral formula:

X, K ⑤, C , A 2+2, G ②; capsule.
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Distribution:
Widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with a few species in temperate climates; most diverse in northern South America.

Genera /species: 104/860. Major genera: tabebuia (100spp), adenocalymma (80), arrabidea (70), and jacaranda (40). Only a few genera, including bignonia, catalpa, campsis, macfadyena, and tecoma, occur in...