Sapindales: A Diverse Order of Flowering Plants

Sapindales is an order of flowering plants that includes about 15 families and approximately 150 genera. The order is distributed worldwide, but with a concentration of species in the tropical regions of Central and South America, Africa, and Asia.

The members of Sapindales are typically trees or shrubs, with simple leaves and small, inconspicuous flowers that are often arranged in clusters. Many species have showy fruits or berries that are attractive to animals and help to disperse the seeds. Some species in this order are well-known for their edible fruits, such as the lychee (Litchi chinensis) and the rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum).

The Sapindales order is thought to be one of the more basal lineages within the eurosids II clade, which includes a number of other flowering plant orders such as Caryophyllales, Asterales, and Brassicales. The relationships among these orders are still not fully understood and are the subject of ongoing research in plant systematics.