SAPINDACE.E. 385 



calyx, is frequent among the Malpighiacece^ are not observed in 

 this f'amiljr, where opposite and simple leaves are very rare excep- 

 tions, whilst they are tho rule among the Malpighiaccœ. On the 

 whole, these, notwithstanding their close affinities with the regular 

 Sapindaceœ^ are very easily distinguished from them in practice', by 

 not having the disk, or the ovules being descendent and not ascend- 

 ent, or the sepals glauduliferous, or by the character of the leaves ; 

 and if one of these characters is wanting, the others remain and suffice 

 for distinction. Many other families have a more or less distant 

 resemblance with these : the Celastiraceœ^ to which the Staphi/Hcœ 

 were formerly joined, have neither irregular flowers nor compound 

 leaves ; their stamens are generally equal in number to the petals, 

 shorter than them and exterior to the disk. The embryo is not bent 

 as that of the Sajrindaceœ often is. The Meliacece and Rutaceœ inay 

 have very nearly the organs of vegetation and the leaves of the 

 Sapiiuheccœ, but the latter are easily distinguished by the pellucid 

 punctuations of the leaves and the odour of the essential oil. More- 

 over, like the Mdiaceœ with solitary or few ovules, they have the 

 micropyle turned upwards and outwards, and not outwards and 

 downwards, consequently the radicle of their embi'yo is superior, and 

 not inferior as that of the Sapindaceœ usually is. The Legwninoseœ, 

 sometimes present a superficial resemblance with the Sapindaceœ.^ by 

 several Ca'salpinieœ having the concave receptacle, an excentric 

 gynœceum, and ciliate or fimbriate petals, exactly like Eri/throphijsa 

 or certain species of Pancovia. It is known that one of the species 

 of the latter genus was assigned to the genus Afiella. But this 

 confusion can only exist when we have only the male flowers before 

 us ; for the gynœceum with unilocular ovary of Leguminoseœ could 

 not be taken for that of a Saphiddccœ having an ovary with several 

 cells and axile placentas. 



The useful species ' of this family have very different properties. 

 The best known are those to which the Soapworts owe theù- 

 name. A bitter principle exists in most of their organs, making 

 water frothy and giving it the qualities of soap. But there is besides 

 this, in these plants, something acrid which rapidly destroys linen. 



1 Endl. E,.ch!rid. 562.— Lindl. Fl. Med. 121 ; 591.— Rosenth. S;/ii. P:. Iliaphoi: 776, 1151. 

 Veij. Kiiiffd. 383. — GuiB. Drag. Simpl. cd. 6, iii. 



VOL. V. 3d 



