650 TREES OF NORTH AMERICA 



Seed solitary in each carpel, obovate or globose; seed-coat bony, smooth, black or 

 dark brown; tegmen membranaceous or fleshy; hilum oblong, surrounded by an 

 ariloid tuft of long pale silky hairs; embryo incurved or straight; cotyledons thick 

 and fleshy, incumbent; radicle very short, inferior, near the hilum. 



Sapindus is widely distributed through the tropics, especially in Asia, occasionally 

 extending into colder regions. About forty species have been distinguished; of 

 these three are found within the territory of the United States. 



Sapindus contains a detersive principle which causes the pulp of the fruit to lather 

 in water, and makes it valuable as a substitute for soap. The bark, which is bitter 

 and astringent, has been used as a tonic. The seeds of several of the species are 

 strung for chaplets and bracelets and are used as buttons. 



The generic name, from sapo and Indus, refers to the detersive properties and use 

 of the first species known to Europeans, a native of the West Indies. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE SPECIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 

 Leaves persistent, 



Rachis of the leaf interruptedly winged, with usually broad wings ; leaflets 4-9, oblong- 

 lanceolate and acute to elliptical-ovate or oblong, tomentulose below ; petals without 

 scales; fruit globose, orange-brown. 1. S. Saponaria (D). 



Rachis of the leaf without wings, narrowly margined or marginless ; leaflets 7-13, lanceo- 

 late-oblong, acuminate, often somewhat falcate, glabrous below ; petals with scales ; 

 fruit somewhat oblong, dorsally keeled, yellow. 2. S. marginatus (C). 



Leaves deciduous, their rachises without marginal borders ; leaflets 8-19, lanceolate, mostly 

 falcate, soft-pubescent or ultimately glabrous below ; petals with scales ; fruit globose, 

 not keeled, turning black in drying. 3. S. Drummondi (C, E). 



1. Sapindus Saponaria, L. Soapberry. 



Leaves 6'-7' long, with broadly winged rachises, their wings narrow and often 

 nearly obsolete below the lowest pair of leaflets, and sometimes nearly ' wide below 



the upper pair, and usually 6-9 leaflets gradually narrowed at the base, very short- 

 petiolulate, when they unfold glabrous on the upper surface with the exception of a 

 few hairs on the midveins, softly pubescent on the lower surface, and at maturity 

 rather coriaceous, yellow-green, paler and tomentulose below, prominently reticu- 

 late-venulose, 3'-4' long and !' wide, with yellow midribs and primary veins, those of 



