Bignonia (bignonia)

[NL., named after Bignon, librarian to Louis XV.] A genus of plants of many species, natural order Bigno niaceæ, natives of the warmer portions of the new world. The species are characterized by a twining or climbing stem, frequently in the tropics reaching the tops of the highest trees, with divided leaves and often magnificent trumpet-shaped flowers. In the stems of some species the wood is so arranged as to have a cro like appearance in section. The most northern species, B. capreolata of the southern United States, is frequent ly cultivated in gardens, and others are ornaments of greenhouses. B. Chica of South America yields an or angered coloring matter called chico (which see).