Bignoniaceae

Bignoniaceae

Distribution of Bignoniaceae:

Bignoniaceae or Bignonia family is primarily tropical or subtropical family comprising 120 genera and 800 species of trees or shrubs, often climbing or twining vines and rarely herbs.

Economic Importance of Bignoniaceae:

1. Timber: Catalpa bignonioides, Millingtonia, Spathodea companulata, Tabebuia pentaphylla, Oroxylum are prized for timber.
2. Dye: The leaves of Cybistax antisyphilitica are used as source of blue dye.
3. Ornamental: The garden ornamental plants are represented by Pyrostegia venusa (Syn. Bignonia uenusta), Spathodea campanulata, Tecoma stans.

Affinities of Bignoniaceae:

Bignoniaceae is allied to Acanthaceae, Pedaliaceae and Scrophulariaceae. Wettstein considered the family a little advanced over Scrophulariaceae. Bessey placed the family in Scrophulariales, the origin of which was traced from Polemoniales (Boraginales).

Hallier included it in the Tubiflorae and placed it near Pedaliaceae and Acanthaceae to which it is also very allied. Hutchinson (1959) put the family under his 59th order Bignoniales which also includes family Pedaliaceae; according to him the origin of Bignoniales was from Loganiales.