Flora Medica

SAPINDACE^.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 81.CARDIOSPERMUM.Sepals 4, the two exterior the smallest. Petals 4, with ascale above their base. Two hypogynous glands. Stamens 8,unequal, excentric. Pistil also out of the centre. Ovary3-celled, with a trifid style, and 1 ascending ovule in each cell.Fruit bladdery, septicidal, very thin. Seeds with a thick funiculuswhich often expands into a short aril.239. C. Halicacabum Linn, sp.pl 925. DC. prodr.i. 601.Lam. ill. t. 317. W. and A. i. I09. Rumf.vi. t. 24. f. 2,Rheede. 8. t. 28. East Indies.Annual. Stem petioles and leaves nearly glabrous. Leaves biternateleaflets ; oblong, much acuminated, coarsely cut and serrated.Glands of disk roundish. Fruit broadly pyriform. W. and A. Rootaperient.SAPINDUS.Calyx 4-5-partite. Petals as many as the sepals, rarely oneof them abortive, naked or hairy,or with a scale above theclaw. Torus a disk occupying the bottom of the calyx, entireor crenulated. Stamens 8-10, inserted between the margin ofthe disk and the ovary. Ovary 3-, rarely 2-celled: ovule 1,erect, at the base of each cell. Style crowned with a 3, rarely2-lobed stigma. Fruit externally fleshy,1 2-lobed from abortion,rarely 3-lobed ; lobes globular, indehiscent, 1-seeded.Seeds without an arillus.Embryo curved or straight. Trees.Leaves without stipules, usually abruptly pinnate, sometimesunequally pinnate, or from abortion having only 1 leaflet.Flowers racemose. Berries saponaceous. W. and A.240. S. saponaria Linn. sp. pi. 526. DC. i.prodr. 607.Commel. hort. i. 94. West Indies. (Soapberry.)A small tree. Leaves pinnated ; leaflets entire, lanceolate, in 3 or4 pairs, the terminal ones with very taper points ; petiole decurrent,winged. Flowers small, white, in terminal panicles. Fruit as large asa cherry, baccate, containing a single shining black seed. Fruits detersiveand very acrid ; they lather freelyin water and are used in theWest Indies instead"of soap ; a few of them will cleanse more linenthan 60 times their weight of soap." Pounded and thrown into waterthey intoxicate fish. A tincture of the berries has been recommendedin chlorosis.241. S. inaequalis is said to have similar detersive qualities.(Linneea vi. 419.)121