Sapindus
Content
Description
Small to medium-sized trees. Stipules wanting. Leaves pinnately compound or less often unifoliolate; compound leaves with a rudimentary distal leaflet; rachis and petioles winged, margined, or unwinged; leaflets alternate or opposite, coriaceous, with entire margins. Inflorescence a thyrse with lateral, simple or compound dichasia. Flowers 5-merous, actinomorphic or partly zygomorphic, functionally pistillate or staminate (plants polygamous-monoecious). Calyx with 2 smaller outer sepals; petals with reduced marginal appendages, or appendages lacking; disk annular and cupular. Stamens 8, exserted; filaments of equal length; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary 3-carpellate, each carpel with a single ovule. Fruit tardily schizocarpic, 1(2)-coccate, with 2(1) rudimentary cocci, separating into indehiscent globose mericarps, with fleshy pericarp containing much saponins. Seeds globose, exarillate.