m 



BIGNONIACEi^ 



INDIAN BEAN, Cntafpa bignonioides. 



Parks, gardens, lawns. July — August. This is perhaps the most beautiful 

 flowering tree to be met with in British gardens, and one of the latest to 

 blossom. Good loamy soil is most suitable, and it does best on a sheltered 

 lawn. Being smoke-resisting, it is a good town tree. The species of Catalpa 

 are propagated by cuttings of Arm shoots in sandy soil under bell-glass in 

 temperature of 55°-G5° in summer ; seeds in spring ; layers in autumn. 



Flowers white speckled with purple and yellow, in a terminal compound, 

 many-flowered, trichotomous panicle 8-10 ins. long and broad, bracts and 

 bracteoles linear-lanceolate, deciduous ; Calyx 2-lobed, .V in. long, glabrous, 

 green or light purple ; Corolla campanulate, tube broad, 2-lipped, 5-lobed, 

 2 ins. long, 1^ in. wide, edges of lobes recurved and slightly frilled ; Stamens 

 2, staminodes 3, inserted near base of corolla ; Ovary superior, 2-celled ; style 

 filiform ; stigma 2-lobed, exserted above anthers ; Fruit a pod-like capsule, 

 2-valved, 6-20 ins. long, somewhat flattened, valves meeting at an angle, 

 usually light brown ; seeds l-l^^ in. long, \ in. broad ; wings pointed, ending 

 with tuft of hairs. 



Leaves opposite, or 3 in a whorl, ovate, cordate at base, entire, waved, 

 acuminate, thin and firm, green and glabrous on upper surface, pale and 

 pubescent beneath, glandular in axils of veins, disagreeable, almost foetid 

 odour when touched, 5-10 ins. long, 4-7 ins. wide ; petioles terete, stout, 5-6 ins. 

 long. Autumn tint yellow 



A deciduous tree, 20-40 ft. ; massive head, growth rapid ; Branches long, 

 heavy, brittle ; Tivigs thickened at nodes, slightly puberulous, glaucous, 

 purplish to orange and brown ; Bark light brown, peeling ; Bud-scales 

 ovate, brown ; Wood light, soft, not strong, coarse-grained, durable, light 

 brown. 



Discovered by Catesby in S. Carolina; introduced 1726. Syn. C. syringcEJolia. 

 " Catalpa " is an Indian name for the tree. 



VOL. II. 121 L 



