Sapindaceae
Lecaniodiscus cupanioides
- Leaf, upper surface.
- Petiole base.
- Terminal shoot and petiole base.
- Leaflet base, lower surface and petiolule.
- Midrib and venation, leaflet lower surface.
- Tip of leaflet.
- Immature fruit.
General Information
The family Sapindaceae is one of the poorly known large tropical plant families. The modern concept of the family includes the temperate members such as the genus Acer (maple and sycamore) but in the tropics it is much more diverse. The total number of genera in the family is about 150. The flowers of Sapindaceae have an unusual disc in the flower which surrounds the stamens. The presence of the disc is reflected in the name of several genera. ‘Lecaniodiscus’ means saucer-shaped disc. This species is rather typical as a medium sized tree with alternate compound leaves. The leaflets have a petiolule which is swollen in the bottom half although this character is not always clearly visible on dried specimens.
Ecology
Terra firma and seasonally flooded forest, including disturbed areas and riverbanks.
Distribution
Distribution: Senegal to Sudan, Uganda and Angola.