82 
seldom climbing herbs. Leaves alternate, compound, very rarely simple, with or without 
stipules, often marked with lines or pellucid dots. Flowers in racemes, or racemose pani- 
cles, small, white or pink, seldom yellow. Camhessedes. 
% 
Affinities. From Aceracese these scarcely differ, except in their alternate 
leaves and petals, which have almost always an appendage on their face. In 
some respects near Meliacese, which agree in habit and in their pinnated leaves, 
but which are known by their monadelphous stamens and symmetrical flowers. 
To Polygalacese they are no doubt akin in the singidar combination of 8 sta- 
mens with 5 unequal sepals, and an uncertain number of petals ; and also in 
their aril, which may be compared to the caruncula of Polygalaceae, although 
somewhat difierent in its origin. The dried leaves resemble, as De Candolle 
remarlcs, those of Connaraceae. Their climbing habit and tendency to produce 
tendrils indicate a relation to Vitaceae, which, however, is not very near. 
Brown remarks, that although in the far greater part of this family the ovule 
is erect and the radicle of the embryo inferior, yet it includes more than one 
genus in which both the seeds and embryo are inverted. Congo y 427. (1818.) 
Geography. Natives of most parts of the tropics, but especially of South 
America and India. Africa knows many of them, but they are wanting in the 
cold regions of the north. None are found in Europe or the United States of 
America. Dodonsea represents the order in New Holland. 
Properties. It is singular that while the leaves and branches of many of 
these plants are unquestionably poisonous, the fruit of others is valuable as an 
article of the dessert. Thus the Long an, the Lit chi, and the Rambutan, fruits 
among the most delicious of the Indian archipelago, are the produce of dif- 
ferent species of Nephelium. Pierardia sativa and dulcis, to which belong the 
Rambeh and Choopa of Malacca, and Hedycarpus malayanus producing the 
Tampui, are other fruit-trees of the order. The fruit of Schmidelia eduhs is 
known at desserts in Brazil under the name of Fruta de parao ; it is said to 
have a sweet and pleasant taste. PI. Us. 67. That of Sapindus esculentus is 
very fleshy, and much esteemed by the inhabitants of Certao, by whom it is called 
Pittomba. Ibid. 68. Some species of Paullinia are, however, stated, upon 
various authorities, to be poisonous, especially the P. australis, to which prin- 
cipally Auguste de St. Hilaire attributes the poisonous quality of the Lecheguana 
honey, Ed. P. J. 14. 269 ; and P. cupania, which is used for making an 
intoxicating liquor. The aril of Paullinia subrotunda and of Blighia sapida is 
eatable. The leaves of Magonia pubescens * and glabrata, called Tinguy in 
Brazil, are used for stupifying fishes ; their bark is employed for healing sores 
in horses caused by the stings of insects. A. St. HU. Hist, des PI. 238. 
Serjania triternata is also employed as a fish poison. Royle. The fruit of 
Sapindus saponaria, and of several Indian species of the same genus, is used 
for the purposes of soap, owing to the presence of the vegetable principle 
called Saponine. Royle. The root of Cardiospermum halicacabum is aperient. 
Ainslie, 2. 204. 
GENERA. 
§ 1. Sapinde^, Can 
Cardiospermum, L. 
Bridgesia, Camb. 
Urvillea, Kth. 
Serjania, PI. 
Toulicia, Aubl. 
Ponwa, Schreb. 
Paullinia, L. 
Cardiopteris, Wall. 
Sioja, Hamilt. 
Schmidelia, L. 
Allophyllus, L. 
Aporetica, Forst. 
Toxicodendron, Ga 
Ornitrophe, Juss. 
Gemella, Lour. 
Irina, Bl. 
Euceraea, Mart. 
Xanthoceras, Bge. 
Pappea, Eckl. 
Ptaeroxylon, Eckl. 
Prostea, Camb. 
Lepisanthes, Bl. 
Sapindus, L. 
Erioglossum, Bl. 
Moulinsia, Camb. 
Valenzuelia, Camb. 
Cupania, Plum. 
Vouarana, Aubl. 
Trigonis, Jacq. 
Molincea, Juss. 
Gelonium, Gaertn. 
Guion, Cav. 
Stadmannia, Lam. 
Blighia, Kbnig. 
Akeesia, Tuss. 
Bonnannia, Raf. 
Tina, R. et S. 
Ratonia, DC. 
Diplopetalum, Spr. 
Dimer eza. Lab. 
Mischocarpus, Bl. 
Talisia, Aubl. 
Harpullia, Roxb. 
Pierardia, Roxb. 
Hedycarpus, Jack. 
Nephelium, L. 
Pometia, Forst. 
