1. P. Vulgàris, L. Leaves ovate or elliptical; scape and calyx a little pubescent; lips of the violet corolla very unequal, the tube funnel-form; spur straightish.—Wet rocks, northern N. Eng. and N. Y. to Minn., and far northward. (Eu., Asia.)
Order 78. BIGNONIÀCEÆ. (Bignonia Family.)
Woody plants, monopetalous, didynamous or diandrous, with the ovary commonly 2-celled by the meeting of the two parietal placentæ or of a projection from them, many-ovuled; fruit a dry capsule, the large flat winged seeds with a flat embryo and no albumen, the broad and leaf-like cotyledons notched at both ends.—Calyx 2-lipped, 5-cleft, or entire. Corolla tubular or bell-shaped, 5-lobed, somewhat irregular or 2-lipped, deciduous; the lower lobe largest. Stamens inserted on the corolla; the fifth or posterior one, and sometimes the shorter pair also, sterile or rudimentary; anthers of 2 diverging cells. Ovary free, bearing a long style, with a 2-lipped stigma.—Leaves compound or simple, opposite, rarely alternate. Flowers large and showy.—Chiefly a tropical family.
1. Bignonia. Pod flattened parallel with the partition. Leaves compound, tendril-bearing.
2. Tecoma. Pod flattish contrary to the partition. Leaves compound, without tendrils.
3. Catalpa. Pod terete. Fertile stamens only 2. Trees; leaves simple.
1. BIGNÒNIA, Tourn.
Calyx truncate, or slightly 5-toothed. Corolla somewhat bell-shaped, 5-lobed and rather 2-lipped. Stamens 4, often showing a rudiment of the fifth. Capsule linear, 2-celled, flattened parallel with the valves and partition. Seeds transversely winged.—Woody climbers, with chiefly compound leaves, terminating in a tendril. (Named for the Abbé Bignon.)
1. B. capreolàta, L. (Cross-vine.) Smooth; leaves of 2 ovate or oblong leaflets and a branched tendril, often with a pair of accessory leaves in the axil resembling stipules; peduncles few and clustered, 1-flowered; corolla orange, 2´ long; pod 6´ long; seeds with the wing 1½´ long.—Rich soil, Va. to S. Ill and south to Fla. and La. April. Climbing tall trees; a transverse section of the wood showing a cross.
2. TÉCOMA, Juss. Trumpet-flower.