Bladdernut 



637 



shaped flowers are in axillary drooping panicles 5 to 10 cm. long, white and rather 

 showy; the pedicels are jointed at or above the middle, 8 to 12 mm. long; the 5 

 sepals are lanceolate to oblong, 7 to 10 mm. long, blunt and smooth; the 5 petals 

 are spatulate, slightly longer than the calyx; stamens 5, their filaments about equal 



Fig. 587. — Bladdernut. 



in length to the petals and haiiy. The fruit is a dry inflated bladder-like, ovoid 

 capsule 4 to 6 cm. long, 3-lobed, and notched at the apex; seeds few, about 3 

 mm. long, light brown and shining. 



The generic type is Staphylea pinnata Linnaeus, of Europe; the name is Greek, 

 in reference to the flower clusters. There is one other species in our area, the 

 California bladdernut, Staphylea Bolanderi A. Gray. The European bladdemuts, 

 Staphylea colchica Stevan, and S. pinnata are occasionally seen in parks and 

 on lawns. 



