Sapindaceae | |
---|---|
Litchi chinensis leaves and fruit | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Sapindaceae Juss. |
Subfamilies[1] | |
Diversity | |
1,900+ species in ca. 140 genera | |
The range of Sapindaceae |
The Sapindaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Sapindales known as the soapberry family. It contains 138 genera[2] and 1,858 accepted species. Examples include horse chestnut, maples, ackee and lychee.
The Sapindaceae occur in temperate to tropical regions, many in laurel forest habitat, throughout the world. Many are laticiferous, i.e. they contain latex, a milky sap, and many contain mildly toxic saponins with soap-like qualities in either the foliage and/or the seeds, or roots.[citation needed] The largest genera are Serjania, Paullinia, Allophylus and Acer.