bignoniaceae

Bignoniaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Lamiales. It comprises about 80 genera and around 800 species. Members are predominantly woody plants found in tropical and subtropical regions, including trees, shrubs, and climbing lianas. Leaves are usually opposite and compound (most commonly pinnate, sometimes palmate); many species possess tendrils derived from leaflets that aid climbing.

Flowers are typically solitary or arranged in showy inflorescences and are often tubular with bilateral symmetry. The corolla usually forms a long tube with five lobes, and the five-part calyx is typically persistent. Floral colors range from white and yellow to pink, purple, or orange, and flowers are frequently adapted for pollination by hummingbirds, bees, or bats.

Fruits are usually woody capsules that dehisce to release numerous small seeds, often with papery wings enabling wind dispersal.

Bignoniaceae has a pantropical distribution, with many species in the Americas. Genera include Jacaranda, Campsis, Catalpa, Bignonia, Tabebuia, and Handroanthus. The taxonomy has undergone changes; several species formerly placed in Tabebuia have been reassigned to Handroanthus. The family is ecologically important in some forests as a source of nectar and as a structural component, and several species are cultivated for their ornamental flowers.

Uses of Bignoniaceae species include horticultural ornamentals, especially trumpet-shaped flowering trees and climbers, and in some regions wood and traditional medicines are utilized. Overall the group is valued for its diverse forms and striking floral displays, reflecting a broad adaptation to tropical and subtropical environments.