Celastrus. XLV. CELASTRACE^. 215 



Order XLIV. SAPINDACE^.— Soapworts. 



Trees, shrtibs or herbs, the latter furnished with teiidrila. 



Lva. alternate, usually cuinpuuiid and without HtipuluH. 



Flu. small, usually polygamous. Sep. 4—5, dintinct, imhricnted in estivation. 



Co;.— Feinis as many as the ncpals, somitimc8 I less, (or rarely wanling,) inserted out*ide the hypogy- 



S(a. 8 or 10 ; Ji/. distinct ; iin!/i iiitioisc. (nous disk which lies at the bottom ol the calyx. 



Ova. ol"3 uiiilfd carpels ; \.'//. pari!) ur completely united. 



F/". u 3-celleil capsule or samara, or olten lloliy and indehiscent. 



Sdi. 1—3 in each cull, usually arilled, without alhumen. 



CARDIOSPERMUM. 



Gr. KopSia, heart, arntpua, seed ; the globose seeds marked with a large, cordate hilum. 



Sepals 4. the 2 outer smallest ; petals 4, each with an emarginate 

 scale above the base ; the 2 lower remote from the stamens, their 

 scales crested ; glands of the disk 2, opposite the lower petals ; sta- 

 mens 8, unequal ; style trifid ; capsule membranous, inflated. — Climb- 

 ing Jierbs ivith, bitcniatc leaves. Lower pair of pedicels changed to tendrils. 



C. Haliacabum. Heart-seed. Balloon-vine. 



Plant nearly glabrous ; kajlcts ovate-lanceolate, incisely lobed and den- 

 tate; fruit pyrilbnn-globose, large, bladder-like. — Native on the Missouri and 

 its branches. Torr. <^ Gr. Naturalized in the W. States. Mead. A curious 

 vine, 4 — Gfin length, with remarkably large, inflated, membranous capsules. Jl. f 



Order XLV. CELASTRACE^.— Staff-trees. 



Shrubs, or rarely trees, with opposite or alternate leaves. Fla. not always perfect. 



Co/.— Sepals 4—5, united at base, imbricated. [which sunounds the ovary. 



Cor.— Petals as many as sepals, inserted by a broad base under the margin of the flat, expanded disk 



Sta. as many as the petals and alternate with them, inserted on the margin of the disk. 



Ova. superior, immersed in and adhering to the disk. 



Fr. a capsule or berry. Seeds either with or without an ariUus. 



Genera 27, species 274, chiefly native of the temperate zone of both hemispheres. They possess acrid 

 and bitter properties, sometimes emetic and stimulant. 



Genera. 



^compound (ternate) Staphylea. 1 



> opposite, (simple Euonymua.Z 



Shrubs with leaves ( alternate, simple CeUtatrus. 2 



Tribe 1. STAPHYLEJ^. 



Leaves pinnate, opposite. Seeds not ariled. Cotyledons thick. 



1. STAPHYLEA. 



A Greek word, meaning a cluster of grapes ; from the form of the fructification. 



Fls. $ ; calyx of 5, colored, persistent sepals : petals and stamens 

 5; styles 3 ; capsules 2— 3,. membranous and inflated. 



S. TRiFOLiA. Bladder-nut. 



Lvs. ternate; rac. pendulous; pet. ciliate below; fr. ovate. — A. handsome 

 shrub, 6 — 8f high, in moist woods and thickets. Can. to Car. and Tenn. Leaf- 

 lets oval-acuminate, serrate, pale beneath, with scattered hairs. Flowers white, 

 m a short, drooping raceme. The most remarkable feature of the plant is its 

 large, mflated capsules, which are 3-sided, 3-parted at top, 3-celled, containing 

 several hard, small nuts or seeds, with a bony, smooth and polished testa. May. 



Tribe 2. EUOXYMEJE. 



Leaves simple. Seeds usually ariled.^ Cotyledons leafy. 



2. CELASTRUS. 



Flowers sometimes polygamous ; calyx flat, of 5 united sepals ; co- 

 rolla spreading, of 5 sessile petals ; capsule subglobose, or 3-angled, 

 3-celled; seeds with an arillus, 1—2 in each cell— Climbing shrubs, 

 with deciduous leaves, and minute, deciduous stipules. 



C. scANDExs. staff-tree. 



Unarmed; st. woody, twining; lvs. oblong, acuminate, serrate; roc. ter- 



