On the cover.

摘要

The family Bignoniaceae is comprised of primarily tropical and subtropical trees, shrubs, and vines with 113 genera and 800 species. There are about eleven Catalpa species found throughout the West Indies and Asia, with two being native to North America: C. bignonioides, southern or eastern catalpa; and C. speciosa, northern or western catalpa. Both are variably known as cigar tree, Indian-bean, or fish-bait tree. The latter name derives from its use as a culture for the catalpa sphinx moth, Ceratomia catalpa, whose white and black caterpillar is a highly prized fish-bait. The original range of C. bignonioides was northern Florida and southwest Georgia to eastern Missisippi, while that of C. speciosa was from northwest Arkansas to central Illinois and west Tennessee. Because of desirability as ornamentals with large numbers of showy flowers, they have spread widely from the northeastern states to the Great Plains, to Utah and northern Arizona. C. ovata, native to China, has been introduced to north-central and northeast United States, while C. bignonioides and C. speciosa have been successfully introduced to Europe and Asia. Catalpa prefers moist soils in open areas by the margins of streams, fields, marshes, and roadsides. While primarily an ornamental, the wood is durable and can be used for fence posts; some tropical species provide high quality lumber in limited amounts. Dehydro-alpha-lapachone from the stem bark of C. ovata shows antifungal activity against a spectrum of fungi, as well as inhibitory effects on LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha and nitric oxide.