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ORDER XLIV. BIGNONIACEAE 



An order containing nine Indian genera of trees, shrubs, and climbers, 

 many of which are remarkable for their handsome flowers ; in addition there 

 are several exotic species cultivated for ornament. The order contains some 

 forest trees of interest yielding fair timbers. Several of the species are remark- 

 able for the profusion with which they send up root-suckers. 



Genera 1. Stereospermum, Cham.; 2. Oroxylum, Vent. ; 3. Milling- 

 TONiA, Linn. f. ; 4. Tecoma, Juss. 



1. STEREOSPERMUM, Cham. 



This genus contains seven Indian species, a few of which are of some 

 importance as accessory species. They are characterized, among other features, 

 by their long, more or less cylindrical capsules containing a thick corky dis- 

 sepiment filling up most of the capsule, along which are arranged the numerous 

 winged seeds. The various species require further study silviculturally. The 

 production of root -suckers appears to be a general characteristic. 



Species 1. ;S^. suaveolens, DC; 2. 8. chelonoides, DC; 3. S. xylocarpum, 

 Benth. and Hook. f. ; 4. S. neuranthimi, Kurz. 



1. Stereospermum suaveolens, DC. Syn. Bignonia suaveolens, Roxb. 

 Vern. Padal, pandri, Hind. ; Parul, Mar. ; Kywemagyolein, Burm. 



A large deciduous tree with large opposite imparipinnate leaves 1-2 ft. 

 in length. Bark grey, exfoliating in large flat scales. Wood hard with a small 

 yellowish brown handsomely mottled heartwood. The tree is a common and 

 important accessory species, particularly in sal forest. It is a useful tree for 

 reclothing bare hill-sides, as may be seen in the Siwalik hills, and for restocking 

 grassy blanks subject to frost. 



Distribution and habitat. This tree is found throughout the greater 

 part of India in mixed deciduous and sal forests. It is common in the sub- 

 Himalayan tract, ascending the outer hills to 4,000 ft., but is rare west of the 

 Jumna. It occurs also in Rajputana, Chota Nagpur, Central India, and in 

 many other parts of the Indian Peninsula, chiefly in valleys and on plateaux and 

 plains. It is found in Upper and Lower Burma, and according to Kurz is not 

 infrequent in the iridaing forests of Martaban. It is probably much commoner 

 in the sub-Himalayan tract than elsewhere, and is a constant, companion of 

 the sal ; it often tends to become gregarious on clayey ground, but is by no 

 means confined to such soil and is often found in abundance on sandy and 

 gravelly soils. It is frequently found on grassy savannah lands. In the Siwahk 

 hills it is characteristic of the dry upper slopes and ridges on sandstone and 

 conglomerate, in somewhat stunted form, but reproducing freely, its chief 

 companions being Anogeissus latifolia, Ougeinia dalbergioides , Shorea robusla, 

 Buclmnania latifolia, and Pinus longijolia. 



In its natural habitat the absolute maximum shade temperature varies 

 from 103 to IIS^ F., the absolute minimum from 30 to 55 F., and the normal 

 rainfall from 30 to 150 in. 



Leaf-shedding, flowering, and fruiting. In northern India the leaves 

 turn brown and fall in March-April and the new leaves appear in May-June. 



