Description

Sapindus drummondii
Pliocene
Rita Blanca Formation
Oldham County, TX USA.

15mm leaf on 38mm slab.

Plant.

Sapindus is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the lychee or soapberry family, Sapindaceae.  It dates back at least to the Early Eocene of North America.  Modern species live in warm temperate to tropical regions of the world.

The species, Sapindus drummondii, is the western soapberry tree – native to northern Mexico and western U.S, states south of, but not excluding, Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri.