Sapindaceae

The Sapindaceae (Sapindaceae) are a family of plants belonging to the order Sapindales. It shares with other families of the order Sapindales its spirally growing leaves, its pinate-compound shape (sometimes palmate, trifoliate or with a single leaflet), with a leaflet at the apex and the flowers have an evident nectar disk surrounding the ovary. There are about 140-150 genera with 1400-2000 species native to hot countries. Among other genera, maples and horse chestnuts belong to it.

Features

They are trees, shrubs, lianas, and herbs, frequently vines. Scattered leaves. Often with secretory cells. Hermaphroditic flowers, or unisexed by abortion, zygomorphic, generally pentamerous, generally with an eccentric annular disc between the corolla and the androecium, with 8-10 stamens; gynoecium with 2-3 concrescent carpels, each with a single ovule. Variable fruit, capsular, dry and indehiscent, schizocarpic, berry or drupe.

Former Aceraceae

As Aceraceae, some 125 species native to the cold regions of the northern hemisphere were previously grouped into the plant genera Acer (the maples) and Dipteronia; Recent genetic studies have led to their reclassification in the Sapindaceae family, Hippocastanoideae subfamily, Acerae tribe, and it is not currently used.

Species in this taxon are trees or shrubs, generally deciduous, with opposite palmate-lobed or sometimes pinnately compound leaves. They present hermaphroditic or unisexual flowers, actinomorphic, dichlamydeous or sometimes apetalous, that is, (monoclamidous without corolla), tetramerous or pentameric, hypogynous; grouped in corymbs or panicles. Fruits in disamara (winged achenes).

Taxonomic subdivisions

Currently 4 subfamilies are accepted.

Subfamilies

• Xanthoceroidae Thorne & Reveal: monogeneric (Xanthoceras Bunge, 1833) and mono-specific (Xanthoceras sorbifoliaNorth China, formerly in the Harpullieae Radlk tribe., 1890 of the Sapindoideae subfamily.
• Hippocastanoideae Dumortier: 5 genera 143 species, with gender AcerL., 1753 he's 126. Tempered north hemisphere; some tropical and, in this case, generally in mountains.
• Dodonaeoideae Burnett: 22 genera - with 70 species of gender DodonaeaP.Miller, 1754- and a total of 145 species. Pantropical-tempered warm, especially in Australia and Southeast Asia.
• Sapindoideae Burnett: 111 genera and 1340 species. Main genera with number of species: Serjania (230), Paullinia (195), Allophylus (1-250), Guioa (65), Cupaniopsis (60), Talisia (42), Cupania (50), Matayba (50). Pantropical.

Genres

• See Annex:Géneros Sapindaceae