2S4 



BIGNONIACEAE. The Trumpet Creeper Family. 

 CATALPA. The Catalpas. 



Leaves simple, opposite or whorled, with long petioles; flowers in 

 terminal panicles or corymbs; fruit a long round pod which splits into 

 halves; seed many, flat, paper jr with a tuft of long hairs at each end. 



A small genus of widely disti'ibuted trees. The species freely hy- 

 bridize, and have been cultivated and planted so extensively that it 

 is difficult to find typical specimens. 



Bark of old trees thin and scaly; odor of bruised leaves fetid; 



lower lol^e of corolla eiitire 1 Catalpa 



bignoiiioides. 

 Bark of old trees fissured and ridgy; odor of bruised leaves not 



fetid; lower lobe of corolla notched at the apex 2 Catalpa speeiosa. 



1. Catal])a bignoiiioides Walter. Catalpa. (Catalpa Catalpa 

 (Linnffius) Karsten). Plate 132. Medium to large sized trees, usually 

 witli a trvuik 1-3 meters in length, and a wide ci'own; bark a graj-ish- 

 brown, scaly and flaking off in small thin plates; leaves ovate, blades 

 usualljr 1.5-2 tlm. long, cordate at the base, taper-jiointed at apex, 

 margins entire, or with 1 or 2 lateral lobes, j^ellow-green and smooth 

 above, and pubescent beneath; flowering period the last of May to the 

 first of .July, about two weeks later than the next species; inflorescence 

 in a rather compact largo panicle; flowers white, usually 2-3 cm. across 

 at expanded end; marked on the lower innei' surface by two rows of 

 yellow Ijlotches, the lower lobes marked with ]iurplish spots, the lower 

 lobe entire or nearly so; fi'uit a long pod, generally 4-10 develop in each 

 panicle, usually 1.5-4 dm. long, aljout 1 cm. thick, somewhat flattened, 

 the valves meeting at an angle which forms a ridge which is sensible to 

 the fingers, the valves of the pod are thhi, and become flat after they 

 open; seed 2.5-4.5 cm. long, including the tufts of hairs at each end, and 

 about 4-5 nun. wide, the tuft of hairs usually converging to a point. 



Distribution. — Supposed to be native to parts of Florida, Georgia, 

 Alabama and Mississip]ii. It has been introduced throughout the 

 eastern part of the United States. In Indiana it has been used in all 

 parts as an ornamental and shade tree. It has few qualities to recom- 

 mend it, and since the difference between this and the next species has 

 been known the next species is usually substituted for it. 

 2. Catalpa speeiosa Warder. Catalpa. Hardy Catalpa. Catal- 

 FA. Plate 133. Medium to large sized trees with long and rather 

 straight trunks when grown in the forest; bark dark grayish-brown, 

 fissured and much resembling the bark of a linden or black walnut in 

 appearance; leaves ovate, generally 1.5-3 dm. long, cordate or some- 



