CAT ALP A. 201 



BICNONIACEiC. 



Character of the Order. — Trees, climbing or twining sknibs, rarely 

 herbs, with opposite, rarely alternate, simple or compound leaves and 

 showy, often trumpet-shaped flowers. Calyx 2-lipped, 5-cleft or entire. 

 Corolla usually irregular, 4- to 5-lobed, deciduous. Stamens 5, unequal, 

 one or two of them often abortive, inserted upon the coi'olla. Ovary free ; 

 style long ; stigma 2-lipped. Fruit a 2-valved, often pod-like capsule, di- 

 vided by an expansion of the placeutte. Seeds generally numerous and 

 winged. 



An order of chiefly tropical plants, comprising few medicinal species, 

 and these possessed of no very striking properties. 



BIGNONIA. 



Bignonia capreolata Linne. — Bignonia. 



Description. — Calyx somewhat bell-shaped, the margin wavy or slightly 

 5-toothed. Corolla irregular, bell-shaped, 5-lobed, and rather 2-lipped, 

 orange color, two inches long. Stamens unequal, 2 long, 2 short, and 1 

 rudimentary and sterile. Pod 2-celled, flattened parallel with the valves 

 and partitions. Seeds in two rows, and provided with a membranous 

 wing. 



A shrubby climber, often ascending tall trees. Wood so arranged in 

 the stem as, in transverse section, to show a cross. Leaves of 2 oblong 

 or ovate leaflets and a branching tendril, often with a pair of accessory 

 leaves in the axils, resembling stipules. Flowers clustered, the peduncles 

 1-flowered, appearing in April. 



Habitat. — In rich soil from Virginia to Southern Illinois and south- 

 ward. 



Part Used. — The root — not official. 



Constituents. — Unknown. 



Preparations. — Used in decoction. 



Medical Properties and Uses. —Bignonia is said to have been used as a 

 substitute for sarsaparilla. If it have active medicinal properties, they 

 are yet to be ascertained. 



CATALPA. 



Catalpa bignonioldes Walter. — Catalpa, Indian Bean. 



Description. — Calyx 2-lipped, corolla bell-shaped, inflated, the border 

 spi-eading, 4- to 5-lobed, irregular, somewhat 2-lipped, white, tinged with 

 violet, and dotted with purple and yellow on the throat. Fertile stamens, 

 2 or 4 ; sterile and rudimentary, 1 or 3. Pod one foot long, slender, 

 nearly cylindrical, 2-ceUed. 



