Family Sapindaceae. Order Sapindales.



Leaves spiral; not scale-like; compound; pinnate; without a terminal leaflet, or with a terminal leaflet; leaflets opposite, or leaflets alternate; all of the same type; not modified into spines; coriaceous; not gland-dotted; symmetric at the base; not dissected; smooth margined. Epidermis not waxy. Venation pinnate. Secondary veins open; prominent, or not prominent, but visible. Smallest veins prominent, or not prominent, but visible; net like. Intramarginal vein present, or absent. Stalk of blade less than a quarter the length of the blade; winged, or not winged; attached to base of leaf blade; not swollen. Stipules present, or absent; free from one another; laterally placed; not encircling the twig; leafy; not fringed; large; not persistent. Domatia absent. Basal glands absent. Hairs on mature leaf present, or absent; dense, or sparse.

Inflorescences present; terminal, or axillary, or on the trunk or branches; on a branched axis; specialized inflorescence units absent; numerous and persistent inflorescence bracts absent. Flowers at least some flowers unisexual; with male and female flowers on the same plant; stalked; with the parts barely visible to the eye to about 0.5 cm long or across; round; with male or female parts not raised on a column. Hypanthium absent. Disk present; the stamens inside the disk. Perianth present; with distinct calyx and corolla whorls. Sepals (3-)4-5(-6); free; not persistent in fruit; not growing any further after flowering. Epicalyx absent. Petals present; (3-)4-5(-7); free; not fleshy; deciduous; stalked; entire. Stamens 4-18; filaments present; free of each other; free of the perianth; all equal in size; isomerous, or diplostemonous; alternating with the sepals (when isomerous). Anthers 2 loculed; attached along the side, or attached by the base; not awned; dehiscing by long slits. Ovary superior. Carpels joined; 2-3(-4). Locules 2-4. Styles solitary. Stigmas 1 lobed; not distinctive. Fruit drupaceous; fleshy; not multiple; not splitting; not enclosed in, or sitting on, fleshy perianth parts; wingless. Seeds 2-4 per fruit; less than 5 mm; wingless; uniform in cross-section; aril absent; non-endospermic.

Pseudostipules often present; often imparipinnate; wood very flexible. Taxon images: genlepis.gif lepis.gif
