216 SAPINDACE/E. 



gular, three-celled : styles short, united at the base, stigma- 

 tose down the Avhole inner face. Ovule solitary in each cell, 

 ascending on a thick funiculus from its inner angle near the 

 middle, between anatropous and amphitropous. 



Capsule membranaceous, vesicular-inflated, triangular or 

 three-lobed, three-celled, tardily loculicidal. Seed one in 

 each cell, globose ; the short and thick funiculus expanded 

 at the hilum into a small (usually heart-shaped) and thin 

 arillus, which adheres to the blackish crustaceous testa. 

 Albumen none. Embryo convolute-incurved, and the large 

 cotyledons also transversely conduplicate above the middle, 

 incumbent on the short and conical descending radicle. 



Herbs, rarely suff'rutescent plants, commonly climbing by 

 tendrils, which arise from the peduncle below the inflores- 

 cence. Leaves alternate, biternately compound, destitute of 

 stipules ; the leaflets incised. Flowers perfect or dioecio-po- 

 lygamous, small, racemose-paniculate on an axillary peduncle, 

 which is usually bicirrhose at the summit : partial peduncles 

 opposite : pedicels articulated in the middle. Corolla white. 



Etymology. Name composed of KupBia, the heart, and anepfia, seed, 

 from the heart-shaped arillus borne at the hilum of the seed. 



Geographical Distribution. The species are chiefly tropical Ameri- 

 can ; one, which is widely diffused over the warmer parts of the world, is to 

 all appearance indigenous in Louisiana and Texas, It is often cultivated in 

 our gardens, under the name of Balloon-vine. 



Properties. The mucilaginous roots are aperient and diaphoretic. 



PLATE 181. Cardiospermum Halicacabum, Linn.; — portion of a flow- 

 ering stem, cultivated in the Botanic Garden from Texan seeds. 

 1. Diagram of the flower. 2. A magnified flower seen from underneath. 



3. A magnified flower seen from above. 



4. Inside view of one of the upper petals with its appendage, magnified. 



5. Inside view of one of the lower petals and its appendage, magnified. 



6. Inside view, and 7. outside view, of a stamen, magnified. 



8. Vertical section of a flower, magnified. 



9. The pistil, more magnified. 10. An ovule, still more magnified. 



11. The inflated capsule, of the natural size. 



12. A transverse section of the same, showing the seeds. 



13. A seed and its arillus (seen laterally), enlarged. 



14. Vertical section of the same, dividing the embryo. 



