SOAPBERRY FAMILY 133 



spicuous in bloom, but bears graceful, few-flowered panicles 

 of reddish flowers. Red, also, are the small branches of 

 the inflorescence, and reddest of all is the tubular calyx 

 surrounding the base of the narrow petals. It is found oc- 

 casionally in damp woods in the peninsula, but is less com- 

 mon than in the northern part of the state. 



Darwin observed that under favorable conditions the 

 flowers of this buckeye showed a tendency to become 

 double. The seeds contain a narcotic poison, and are 

 said to stupefy fish when pounded and thrown into streams. 



Aesculus Pavia. Flowers red, 1 in. long, in terminal pani- 

 cles 4-8 in. long. Calyx 5-lobed, petals 4, unequal, stamens 

 usually 7. Capsule smooth, 1-2 in. across. Shrub or small 

 tree. Leaves of 5-7 finely toothed leaflets 2-6 in. long, pal- 

 mately arranged. Low woods. Blooming in spring. Fla. to 

 Va. and Mo. 



SOAPBERRY FAMILY (Sapindaceae) 



Trees or vines. Leaves alternate, of several leaflets. Flowers 

 minute, sepals and petals 4-5 each, stamens 8 or 10. 



Balloon- Vine. Heartseed (Genus Cardiospermum) 



The air-filled balloons in which the seeds ripen are the 

 most remarkable feature of these vines, whose young 

 leaves range from pale rose to green. The cultivated 

 balloon-vine, C. Halicacabum, occasionally grows wild and, 

 it is said, may be cooked as a pot-herb. The native species, 

 C. microcarpumj is a more delicate vine, and has smaller 

 "balloons.^^ 



The black seeds show at one side a white spot, fanci- 

 fully called heart-shaped, to which the plants owe their 

 name of heartseed, and also their former medicinal use 



