Bignoniaceae, Trumpet Creeper or Bignonias Family
The Bignoniaceae Family consists of mostly woody species or vines or subshrubs. A few are herbaceous plants found in higher elevation montane habitats. Included here are several climbing or twining lianas. Bignoniaceae plants have a world-wide distribution where they are mostly found in tropical, sub-tropical and some in temperate zones.
Members of this family are important for their cultivated ornamentals including the Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) tree with its beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers it is now a popular ornamental throughout the world in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Other commercial species include the African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata) and Trumpet Trees or Roble Trees of the genus Tabebuia. Some species of Tabebuia are also raised to produce timber.
In North America, according to the USDA Plants Database, there are 30 genera with 70 accepted taxa overall in the Bignoniaceae family. World-wide, The Plant List identifies 86 plant genera with 852 accepted species names in the family.
The largest genera in the family, world-wide include; Adenocalymma, 82 species; Tabebuia, 74 species;, Fridericia, 68 species;, Jacaranda, 48 species;, Anemopaegma, 45 species and Amphilophium with 43 species.
In North America there are very few native species in the family and include Bignonia, Catalpa, Chilopsis and Tecoma. Chilopsis and Tecoma are southwestern Untied States species.
- Chilopsis linearis, Desert Willow
- Tecoma stans, Yellow Trumpet Bush