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Macfadyena unguis-cat

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Photo from
GP Desert.


Photo from: University of Arizona Pima County Cooperative Extension.


Photo from: Agricultural Research and Advisory Station.


Photo of the flowers by Canek Ledesma, Osbel López y Mariano Gorostiza, Powo.science.kew.org.

Author:  Alwyn Howard Gentry, 1973
Family:  BIGNONIACEAE
Origin:  Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Islands
Soil:  Rich - Mix
Water:  Maximum
Sun:  Medium -Maximum
Thickness:  3 Centimetres
Height:  15 Meters
Flower:  Yellow
Propagate:  Seeds/Cuttings/Tubers
Names:  Cat's Claw Climber, - Creeper, - Trumpet, Funnel Creeper, Macfadyena, Uña de Gato, Bejuco de Gato
Synonyms:  Might be: Dolichandra unguis-cati, L.G.Lohmann, 2008.
Bignonia unguis-cati
, Carl Linaeus, 1753.
- and lots of other names - see below...

This member of the Bignoniaceae family was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, and later named by Alwyn Howard Gentry in 1973. It is found in central and southern America. It has later been spread to similar climates i.e. Australia. It preferring a well drained and rich soil, lots of water and some to lots of sun. The tubers will grow up to three centimetres in diameter, the vines can reach 15 meters or more. The flowers are bright yellow, and the plant can be reproduced both by seeds, cuttings and tubers.

The genera is named after James Macfadyen, 19th century Scottish botanist in Jamaica. The species name means 'cat's claw'.

Synnyms:
Bignonia acutistipula Schltdl.
Bignonia californica Brandegee
Bignonia catharinensis Schenck
Bignonia dasyonyx S.F.Blake
Bignonia exoleta Vell.
Bignonia gracilis G.Lodd.
Bignonia inflata Griseb.
Bignonia lanuginosa Hemsl.
Bignonia pseudounguis Desf.
Bignonia rodigasiana L.Linden
Bignonia triantha DC.
Bignonia tweedieana Lindl.
Bignonia unguis L.
Bignonia unguis-cati L.
Bignonia unguis-cati var. exoleta (Vell.) Sprague
Bignonia unguis-cati var. guatemalensis K.Schum. & Loes.
Bignonia unguis-cati var. radicans DC.
Bignonia unguis-cati var. serrata Bureau & K.Schum.
Bignonia vespertilia Barb.Rodr.
Dolichandra kohautiana C.Presl
Doxantha acutistipula (Schltdl.) Miers
Doxantha adunca Miers
Doxantha chelephora Miers
Doxantha dasyonyx (S.F.Blake) S.F.Blake
Doxantha exoleta (Vell.) Miers
Doxantha lanuginosa (Hemsl.) Miers
Doxantha mexicana Miers
Doxantha praesignis Miers
Doxantha radicans (DC.) Miers
Doxantha tenuicula Miers
Doxantha torquata Miers
Doxantha tweedieana (Lindl.) Miers
Doxantha unguis var. microphylla Chodat
Doxantha unguis-cati var. dasyonyx (S.F.Blake) Seibert
Doxantha unguis-cati var. exoleta (Vell.) Fabris
Macfadyena undulata K.Schum.
Microbignonia auristellae Kraenzl.
Spathodea kohautiana (C.Presl) Walp.