518 SAPINDACEA. 
a 
direction ; cotyledons sometimes very large ; radicle next the 
- hilum. 
Diagnosis.—Flowers unsymmetrical, hypogynous. Sepals 
and petals 4—5, imbricate, the latter commonly with an ap- 
pendage. Stamens never agreeing in number with the sepals and 
petals, inserted on a fleshy or glandular disk, or upon the thala- 
mus; anthers bursting longitudinally. Fruit usually consisting 
of 3 carpels. Seeds commonly 2, sometimes 1 or 3, or very rarely 
more, exalbuminous, usually arillate and without wings ; embryo 
almost always curved or spirally twisted. 
Fig. 939. Fia. 940. 
y | 
bas LT To 
Fig. 939, Diagram of the flower of the Horsechestnut (4sculus Hippo- 
casianum), Fig. 940. Vertical section of the fower.— Fig. 941. Ver- 
tical section of the seed. . 
Division of the Order and Illustrative Genera :—This order 
has been divided by Lindley into 4 sub-orders, as follows :— 
Sub-order 1. Sapindex.—Leaves alternate. Ovules usually 
solitary. Embryo generally curved or sometimes straight. 
Illustrative Genera :—Sapindus, Linn.; Nephelium, Linn. 
Sub-order 2. Hippocastaneex.—Leaves opposite. Ovules 2 in a 
cell, of which one is ascending, and the other suspended (jig. 
735). Embryo curved (fig. 941), with a small radicle and 
large fleshy consolidated cotyledons. Illustrative Genus :— 
A sculus, Linn. 
Sub-order 3. Dodonex.—Leaves alternate. Ovules 2 or 3ina 
cell. Embryo spiral. Illustrative Genera :—Dodonea, Liwiv.; 
Ophiocaryon, Schomb. 
Sub-order4. Meliosmex.—-Leaves alternate. Flowers very irre- 
gular. Stamens 5, 3 of which are abortive, and only 2, there- 
fore, fertile. Ovules 2 in each cell, suspended. Fruit drupa- 
ceous. Embryo folded up. Illustrative Geiws :—Meliosma, 
Blume. Bentham and Hooker wiclude the Meliosmex in the 
order Sabiacex. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Chiefly found in tropical regions, 
especially those of South America and India; some occur in 
temperate climates, but none inhabit the cold northern parts of 
