4O2 



HIPPOCASTANACEAE. 

 5 



[VOL. II. 



AEsculus Pavia L,. Red Buckeye. 

 (Fig. 2385.) 



AEsculus Pavia L,. Sp. PI. 344. 1753. 



A shrub, 4-i2 high. Leaflets 5-7, stalked, ob- 

 long, lanceolate, or obovate, $'-5' long, i '-!>' wide, 

 acute or short-acuminate at the apex, all narrowed 

 at the base, finely serrate, nearly glabrous on both 

 sides when mature, shining; inflorescence loose; 

 peduncles i-3-flowered; flowers bright red-purple, 

 I'-i^' long; calyx tubular, its lobes short; upper 

 petals longer than the lower; stamens about equal- 

 ling the longer petals; fruit smooth. 



In rich soil, Virginia to Florida, west to Kentucky, 

 Mi ouri and Arkansas. April-May. 



Family 69. SAPINDACEAE R. Br. Exp. Congo, App. 1818. 



SOAPBERRY FAMILY. 



Trees or shrubs, with watery sap, rarely herbaceous vines. Leaves alternate 

 (opposite in one exotic genus), mostly pinnate or palmate, without stipules. 

 Flowers polygarno-dioecious, regular or slightly irregular. Sepals or calyx - 

 lobes 4-5, mostly imbricated. Petals 3-5. Disk fleshy. Stamens 5-10 (rarely 

 fewer or more), generally inserted on the disk. Ovary i, 2-4-lobed or entire, 

 2-4-celled; ovules i or more in each cavity. Fruit various. Seeds globose or 

 compressed; embryo mainly convolute; cotyledons often unequal; endosperm none. 



About 1 20 genera, including over 1000 species, widely distributed in tropical and warm regions. 

 Trees or shrubs; fruit a berry. i. Sapindus. 



Herbaceous vines; fruit an inflated pod. a. Cardiospermmn. 



i. SAPINDUS L. Sp. PI. 367. 1753. 



Trees or shrubs, with alternate mostly odd-pinnate leaves, and regular polygamo-dioe- 

 cious flowers in terminal or axillary racemes or panicles. Sepals 4-5, imbricated in 2 rows. 

 Petals of the same number, each with a scale at its base. Disk annular, hypogynous. Sta- 

 mens 8-10, inserted on the disk; anthers versatile. Ovary 2-4-lobed (commonly 3-lobed), 

 with the same number of cavities; ovules I in each cavity, ascending; style slender; stigma 

 2-4-lobed. Fruit a globose or lobcd berry with 1-3 seeds. [Name, Safo Indicus, Indian 

 soap, from the soapy quality of the berries. ] 



About 10 species, natives of warm and tropical Asia and America. 5. Saf>onaria, the only 

 other North American species, occurs on the Florida keys. 



i. Sapindus marginatus Willd. Soapberry. 

 Wild China-tree. (Fig. 2386.) 



Sapindus marginatus Willd. Knum. 432. 1809. 

 Sapindus acuminatus Raf. New Flora N. A. 3: 22. 



1836. 



A tree, with maximum height of about 60 and trunk 

 diameter of 18', the bark stnoothish. Leaves pinnate, 

 glabrous on both sides, or sparingly pubescent beneath, 

 S'-iS' long; leaflets 7-19, inequilateral, obliquely lan- 

 ceolate, often falcate, entire, i Y^'-if long, acuminate 

 at the apex and commonly acute at the base; rachis 

 not winged ; panicles terminal, 5 '-7' long, dense; 

 flowers white, about 2" broad; berry globose, or oval, 

 4 // -6 // in diameter, very saponaceous, usually i-sceded 

 and with 2 abortive ovules at its base. 



Kansas to Texas, Arizona and northern Mexico, east to 

 Florida. Wood hard, light yellowish brown; weight per 

 cubic foot 59 Ibs. Used in Texas for cotton baskets. 

 Berries used as a substitute for soap. May-June. 



