A very distinctive family in its opposite compund leaves; indeed the great majority of lowland taxa with opposite compound leaves are Bignoniaceae. most important neotropical liana family; lianas distinctive in having the terminal leaflet converted into a tendril (unique among opposite leaved climbers); anomalous secondary growth forming a 4-32-armed crosslike structure in stem cross section.
Floral characters
Inflorecences racemose, thyrsoid, dicase or reduced to one flower. Calyx 5-lobed or -toothed, occasionaly bilabiate, or entire. Corolla 5-lobed, more or less bilabiate, with long tube. Disc usually present. Stamens (2-)4(-)5, commonly didynamous, with the fifth often present as a staminode. Ovary superior, 1-2-locular, style 1, stigma 1, 2-lobed
Leaf characters
Leaves opposite, rarely alternate, usually compound (from trifoliolate to pinnate), the terminal leaflet often replaced by a tendril, often with interpetiolar glands
Stipules
absent
Fruit characters
fruit a 2-valved, septical or loculicidal, often pod-like capsule, rarely indehiscent. Seeds numerous, often flat and winged
