BIGNONIACEAE 293 



than the stamens. Ovules many. Fruit a long, cylindrical capsule 

 separating into 2 valves. Seeds numerous, with long tufted hairs at 

 each end. 



About 10 species; 2 in America, 3 in the West Indies, and about 5 

 in China. Except the W. Indian species all have been introduced into 

 cultivation in Europe. The Catalpas are rapid growing ornamental 

 trees characterized by large, bell-shaped flowers in panicles and long, 

 slender pod-like capsules. They are suitable for street and lawn, 

 and wood-lot planting. The wood is coarse and straight grained, soft 

 but durable in contact with the soil, used for posts and railroad ties. 

 The bark has a bitter property used in medicine as a tonic, diuretic 

 and vermifuge. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. Comparatively free 

 from insect and fungous attacks. 



Catalpa ovata D. Don. 



(Catalpa ksempferi Siebold & Zuccarini.) 

 (Catalpa henryi Dode.) 



Tree 8 m. tall, sometimes 15 m. tall. Leaves 12-23 cm. long and 

 about as broad, ovate-cordate, short acuminate at the apex, rarely entire, 

 usually 3-5 lobed, somewhat pubescent, with tufted hairs on the veins 

 beneath, pale green, the nerves sometimes purplish; petioles with glands 

 and glandular hairs, 5-15 cm. long. Inflorescence a much branched, 

 many flowered panicle, 10-22 cm. long. Flowers fragrant; corolla creamy 

 white marked with orange bands and purple spots, about 2.5 cm. long; 

 calyx glabrous. Capsules 17-30 cm. long, 6 mm. in diameter, thin 

 walled, splitting into 2 valves. Seeds 6-8 mm. long, grayish with long 

 tufted hairs at each end. 



Native of China, introduced into Japan by the Buddhist priests, 

 cultivated in European gardens. The tree has fragrant, showy flowers 

 and the leaves are without the disagreeable odor common to the other 

 members of the genus. 



Catalpa bungei C. A. Meyer. 



Tree 12 m. tall. Leaves glabrous, acuminate, narrowly triangular- 

 ovate, or deltoid-ovate, sometimes cuneate at the base, entire or with 1 

 to few lateral lobes or acute teeth at the base, purple spotted in the axils 

 of the veins beneath, 8-16 cm. long, usually less than 8 cm. broad. 



