bignonian.
/bɪɡˈnəʊnɪə/, U.S. /bɪɡˈnoʊniə/ Botany.
Any of numerous plants of the genus Bignonia or family Bignoniaceae, comprising mainly tropical and subtropical American trees, shrubs, and lianas; esp. any of those popular in cultivation for their brightly coloured, trumpet-shaped flowers. Also (in form Bignonia): the genus itself.Valid publication of the genus name: Linnaeus Species Plantarum (1753) II. 622.Although once very large, the genus Bignonia is presently understood to be monospecific, comprising B. capreolata, a liana with orange to scarlet flowers, native to the southern United States.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > foliage, house, or garden plants > [noun] > other ornamental plants
milkwood1696
bignonia1719
Molucca balm1731
gunnera1789
lantana1791
aubrietia1829
zebrina1846
alocasia1858
billbergia1858
prickly thrift1866
bocconia1867
prickly rhubarb1895
prayer plant1951
1719 tr. J. Pitton de Tournefort Compl. Herbal I. 246/1 Bignonia is a Plant with a Flower of one single Leaf.
1731 P. Miller Gardeners Kalendar 174 Double Virgin's Bower, Bignonia, or Trumpet Flower, Traveller's Joy.
1785 H. Marshall Arbustrum Americanum 22 Ever-green Bignonia, or Yellow Jasmine.
1826 T. Flint Francis Berrian I. v. 155 Beautiful stone cottages, clustered with the bignonia in full flower.
1849 Phytologist 3 618 The entire flower looking very like that of some species of Bignonia.
1923 Amer. Jrnl. Bot. 10 51 Still later, in November, another set of plants was in bloom..tropical-looking Bignonias and the blue Jacaranda make a gorgeous show.
1966 Times 29 Jan. 11/1 In the warmer parts of the country..Bignonias are well worth planting against a wall or fence.
1972 Taxon 21 659 The heterogeneity of the genus Bignonia as constituted by Linnaeus (1753) has caused much confusion as to its typification.
2001 K. Kirsten Gardening 173/1 For sheer spectacle, few creepers can compete with the bignonias.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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