e-Key v3 - Blighia
SANBI Flora Keys Logo
Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Sapindaceae - Blighia K.D.Koenig

Description :

  • Trees or large shrubs, usually dioecious, sometimes spuriously polygamous
  • Leaves paripinnate, 1-3(-5)-jugate
  • Flowers regular; in axillary, often racemose clusters
  • Sepals 5, connate at base
  • Petals 5, pouch-like owing to fusion of margins of scales
  • Disc lobed
  • Stamens 8-10
  • Ovary 3-locular, 3-angled; with a single ovule in each locule
  • Fruit 3-lobed, ± 3-winged
  • Seeds with a fleshy arillode surrounding lower part
  • x = 8 or 16

Nomenclature:

  • Blighia K.D.Koenig
    • Koenig: 571 (1806)
    • Exell: 514 (1966)
  • Phialodiscus Radlk.
    • Radlkofer: 479 (1879)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 3 in tropical Africa
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Blighia unijugata Baker, in forest and woodland in KwaZulu-Natal

References:

  • EXELL, A.W. 1966. Sapindaceae . Flora zambesiaca 2, 2
  • KOENIG, K.D.E. 1806. Blighia . Annals of Botany (König & Sims) 2
  • RADLKOFER, L. 1879. Sitzungsberichte der Königl. Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu München 9