Sapindus saponaria

Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens from wild populations. Cultivated occurrences are not mapped. View county names by placing the cursor over the map.

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Family:	SAPINDACEAE
Species:	Sapindus saponaria L.
Common Name:	SOAPBERRY
Plant Notes:	Simpson (1914) remarked that "the berries make a good substitute for soap."
Status:	Native, FACU (NWPL)
Specimen:	View details of USF Herbarium specimens

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Division
Class
Sub Class
Order	SAPINDALES
Family	SAPINDACEAE
Genus	Sapindus
Species	Sapindus saponaria L. - SOAPBERRY

Citation

Citation	SAPINDUS SAPONARIA Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 367. 1753.
Basionym:	**
Type:	Without data (lectotype: Plukenet, Phytographia t. 217(7). 1692). Lectotypified by Pennington, in C. E. Jarvis et al., Regnum. Veg. 127: 84. 1993.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Source

County	Herbaria	Literature Citation (If Applicable)
Broward	FLAS
Broward	FLAS
Collier	USF
Collier	USF
Lee	USF
Lee	USF
Miami-Dade	USF
Miami-Dade	USF
Monroe Keys	FLAS
Monroe Mainland	USF

Synonyms

– Denotes synonyms that are applicable to the state. Show these synonyms only

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Sapindus alatus	Sapindus alatus Salisbury, Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton 280. 1796, nom. illegit.	BASIONYM: Sapindus saponaria Linnaeus 1753.
Sapindus saponaria forma genuinus	Sapindus saponaria Linnaeus, forma genuinus Radlkofer, in Martius, Fl. Bras. 13(3): 517. 1900, nom. inadmiss.	BASIONYM: Sapindus saponaria Linnaeus 1753.
Cupania saponaria	Cupania saponaria Persoon, Syn. Pl. 1: 413. 1805.
Cupania saponarioides	Cupania saponarioides Swartz, Prodr. 62. 1788.		TYPE: JAMAICA: Without data, Swartz s.n. (holotype: S).
Sapindus amolli	Sapindus amolli Sessé y Lacasta & Moçiño, Pl. Nov. Hisp. 60. 1888.		TYPE: MEXICO:
Sapindus divaricatus	Sapindus divaricatus Willdenow ex Cambessèdes, in A. Saint-Hilaire, Fl. Bras. Merid. 1: 390. 1828.		TYPE: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Near Sabaré, Jan 1804, Sieber s.n. (holotype: B-W).
Sapindus forsythii	Sapindus forsythii de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 607. 1824.		TYPE: GRENADA: Without data, Forsyth s.n. (holotype: G-DC).
Sapindus grandifolius	Sapindus grandifolius Lippold, Feddes Repert. 85: 628, f. 13. 1974, non Engelhardt 1881.		TYPE: CUBA: Guantánamo: Montes Cagüines, Imias, Sep 1938, Matos LS18561 (holotype: HAC).
Sapindus inaequalis	Sapindus inaequalis de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 608. 1824.		TYPE: GUADELOUPE: Without data, Bertero s.n. (holotype: G-DC).
Sapindus lippoldii	Sapindus lippoldii I. M. Turner, Ann. Bot. Fenn. 51: 308. 2014.	BASIONYM: Sapindus grandifolius Lippold 1974, non Engelhardt 1881.
Sapindus mukorossi	Sapindus mukorossi Gaertner, Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 342, t. 70. 1788.
Sapindus peruvianus	Sapindus peruvianus Walpers, Nov. Actorum Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 19(suppl. 1): 312. 1843.		TYPE: PERU:
Sapindus peruvianus var. dombeyanus	Sapindus peruvianus Walpers, var. dombeyanus Walpers, Nov. Actorum Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 19(suppl. 1): 312. 1843.		TYPE: PERU:
Sapindus peruvianus var. meyenianus	Sapindus peruvianus Walpers, var. meyenianus Walpers, Nov. Actorum Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 19(suppl. 1): 312. 1843.		TYPE: PERU:
Sapindus pinnatus	Sapindus pinnatus Miller, Gard. Dict., ed. 8. Sapindus no. 3. 1768.		TYPE: INDIA:
Sapindus rigidus	Sapindus rigidus Miller, Gard. Dict., ed. 8. Sapindus no. 2. 1768.		TYPE: MEXICO: Veracruz: Veracruz, s.d., Houston s.n. (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by A. R. Franck, Phytotaxa 684(1): 35. 2024.
Sapindus saponaria forma inaequalis	Sapindus saponaria Linnaeus, forma inaequalis (de Candolle) Radlkofer, in Millspaugh, Publ. Field Columb. Mus., Bot. Ser. 1: 402. 1898.	BASIONYM: Sapindus inaequalis de Candolle 1824.
Sapindus saponaria subforma rigidus	Sapindus saponaria Linnaeus, subforma rigidus (Miller) Radlkofer, in Martius, Fl. Bras. 13(3): 517. 1900.	BASIONYM: Sapindus rigidus Miller 1768.
Sapindus stenopterus	Sapindus stenopterus de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 607. 1824.		TYPE: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Without data, Bertero s.n. (holotype: G-DC).

Specimens

Country	State	County	Date	Specimen	Notes
USA	Florida	Collier Co.	20 Aug 1965	O. K. Lakela 29112
USA	Florida	Collier Co.	15 Aug 1967	O. K. Lakela 30983
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	16 May 1969	H. Andorfer 33
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	15 Oct 1962	G. R. Cooley 9346
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	15 Oct 1962	G. R. Cooley 9339
USA	Florida	Lee Co.	11 Aug 1973	S. Todd 7
USA	Florida	Monroe Co.	08 May 1965	O. K. Lakela 28612
USA	Florida	Monroe Co.	30 May 1970	W. T. Gillis 9305
USA	Florida	Collier Co.	01 May 1965	O. K. Lakela 28514
USA	Florida	Hernando Co.	01 Nov 1987	D. M. Krofta s.n.
USA	Florida	Hernando Co.	June 1989	D. M. Krofta s.n.
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	22 Nov 1983	J. Post s.n.
USA	Florida	Pasco Co.	10 June 1986	P. Rhinesmith s.n.
USA	Florida	Levy Co.	15 Feb 1974	R. F. Thorne 44405
USA	Florida	Hernando Co.	s.d.	J. Carlton s.n.
USA	Florida	Citrus Co.	18 May 1974	R. P. Wunderlin 5309
USA	Florida	Alachua Co.	23 Nov 1981	J. C. Easterday 786
USA	Florida	Manatee Co.	07 Nov 1976	A.G. Shuey 1801
USA	Florida	Citrus Co.	07 Nov 1964	R. W. Long 1306
USA	Florida	Citrus Co.	06 May 1963	O. K. Lakela 25915
USA	Florida	Collier Co.	01 Feb 1999	R. A. Hattaway FS0152
USA	Florida	Citrus Co.	10 Aug 1979	D. Richardson 814
USA	Florida	Brevard Co.	24 May 1973	A.G. Shuey M0063
USA	Florida	Levy Co.	04 May 1959	C. E. Wood 9221
USA	Florida	Collier Co.	26 Mar 2003	A. Bishop FS0333
USA	Florida	Manatee Co.	01 Mar 1984	A.G. Shuey 2590
USA	Florida	Sumter Co.	28 Jun 1984	R. P. Wunderlin 9779
USA	Florida	Brevard Co.	28 Nov 1976	A.G. Shuey 1813
USA	Florida	Brevard Co.	24 May 1973	A.G. Shuey M0064
USA	Florida	Manatee Co.	05 Nov 1976	A.G. Shuey 1798
USA	Florida	Brevard Co.	24 Apr 1971	A.G. Shuey 21
USA	Florida	Hillsborough Co.	07 Nov 1976	A.G. Shuey 1803
USA	Florida	Lee Co.	05 Apr 1964	F. C. Craighead s.n.
USA	Florida	Volusia Co.	08 May 2006	J. M. Kunzer 1662
USA	Florida	Citrus Co.	3 June	O. K. Lakela 26039
USA	Florida	Putnam Co.	07 Oct 1961	D. B. Ward 2833
USA	Florida	Sarasota Co.	13 Jun 2002	B. K. Holst 8042
USA	Florida	Calhoun Co.	10 Sep 2011	T. MacClendon 1131
USA	Florida	Brevard Co.	03 Apr 1930	M. Mulvania s.n.
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	15 Nov 1969	W. T. Gillis 8618	CULTIVATED; source unknown, probably native.
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	15 Nov 1969	W. T. Gillis 8619	CULTIVATED; P-2190; source not recorded.
Dominican Republic	La Altagracia Prov.		14 May 1984	T. A. Zanoni 30057
Dominican Republic	San Cristobal Prov.		Nov 1971	A. H. Liogier 18274
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	25 May 1971	M. H. Finlayson 17	CULTIVATED.
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	1966	M. E. Seidel 18
USA	Florida	Sumter Co.	08 Jun 1963	C. F. Caudle 2078
USA	Florida	Collier Co.	06 Mar 1989	J. N. Burch 406
USA	Florida	Collier Co.	23 Jun 1988	J. N. Burch 142
USA	Florida	Lee Co.	24 Nov 2015	R. Rowe MK0067
Belize	Toledo Distr.		23 Apr 1999	S. W. Brewer 940
Mexico	Tamaulipas	Gomez Farias Mun.	27 Jun 1988	A. Vazquez 4607
Mexico	Veracruz	Coatepec Mun.	12 Mar 1975	M. G. Zola Baez 101
Mexico	Oaxaca	San Cristóbal Amatlán Mun.	28 Oct 1994	I. Jerónimo 31	Nombre Zapoteco: yix ptyon.

Listed Status: Florida

Listed Status:	(Florida):Source - Plants in the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act. Chapter 5B-40, Florida Administrative Code. 1998, amended.
Endangered:	A species of plants native to the state that are in imminent danger of extinction within the state, the survival of which is unlikely if the causes of a decline in the number of plants continue, and includes all species determined to be endangered or threatened pursuant to the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.
Threatened:	Listed as Threatened Plants in the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act. Defined as species of plants native to the state that are in rapid decline in the number of plants within the state, but which have not so decreased in such number as to cause them to be endangered.

Listed Status: US

Listed Status: US	(U.S.) Source - List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.
Endangered:	Any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
Threatened:	Any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

WAP: Wetland AssessmentProcedure

Wetland Assessment Procedure (WAP): Source - Southwest Florida Water Management District, Wetland Assessment Procedure Instruction Manual for Isolated Wetlands (March 2005).

AD:	Adaptive Species. Plant species designated as FAC or Upland by DEP, but commonly seen in the transition zone in limited numbers.
D:	Deep Species. Plant species commonly found in the deep zone, and designated either FAC or OBL by DEP.
OD:	Outer Deep Species. Plant species commonly found in the outer deep zone, and designated either FACW or OBL by DEP.
T:	Transition Species. Plant species commonly found in the transition zone, and designated either FACW or OBL by DEP.
U:	Upland Species. Plant species that are not expected to be seen in wetlands.

ANY - WAP critieria is not taken into consideration
Yes - Show results with WAP designations
No - Show results without WAP designations

FISC: Florida Invasive Species Council

FISC:

Source - Florida Invasive Species Council's 2017 List of Florida's Most Invasive Species

Category I - Species that are invading and disrupting native plant communities in Florida. This definition does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused.

Category II - Species that have shown a potential to disrupt native plant communities. These species may become ranked as Category I, but have not yet demonstrated disruption of natural Florida communities.

DEP: Department of Environmental Protection

Wetland Status, Department of Environmental Regulation (DEP): Source - Delineation of the Landward Extent of Wetlands and Surface Waters, Chapter 62-340, Florida Administrative Code. 1994.

OBL:	Obligate wetland. Occurs almost always under natural conditions in wetlands.
FACW:	Facultative Wetland. Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally found in non-wetlands
FAC:	Facultative. equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands.

NWPL: National Wetland Plant List

National Wetland Plant List (NWPL): Source - Lichvar, R.W., M. Butterwick, N.C. Melvin, and W.N. Kirchner. 2014. The National Wetland Plant List: 2014 Update of Wetland Ratings. Phytoneuron 2014-41: 1-42.

OBL:	Obligate Wetland. Occurs almost always (estimated probability 99%) under natural conditions in wetlands.
FACW:	Facultative Wetland. Usually occurs in wetlands (estimated probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in non-wetlands.
FAC:	Facultative. Equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands (estimated probability 34%-66%).
FACU:	Facultative Upland. Usually occurs in non-wetlands (estimated probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in wetlands (estimated probability 1%-33%).
UPL:	Obligate Upland. Occurs in wetlands in another region, but occurs almost always (estimated probability 99%) under natural conditions in non-wetlands in the regions specified.

Persisting

Identifying species that appear as waifs or only periodically appear in the flora for a few seasons.

Any - Persisting critieria is not taken into consideration
Yes - Show results with a Persisting value of Y
No - Show results without Persisting value of N

Duration

Annual:	Plants that perform their entire lifecycle within a single growing season. All roots, stems, and leaves die at the end of the growing season. Over wintering seeds allow the next generation to appear.
Biennial:	A plant that is typically vegetative its first year and blooms the following season. Once it has bloomed and set seed, the plant dies. Garlic mustard is an example of a biennial.
Perennial:	These plants live for three or more seasons. Many perennials may not be mature enough to bloom during its first year. Perennial wildflowers re-grow each season from overwinter root material.

Category

Vascular:	Any of various plants that have the vascular tissues xylem and phloem. The vascular plants include all seed-bearing plants (the gymnosperms and angiosperms) and the pteridophytes (including the ferns, lycophytes, and horsetails). Also called tracheophyte.
Bryophyte:	A large group of seedless green plants including the mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Bryophytes lack the specialized tissues xylem and phloem that circulate water and dissolved nutrients in the vascular plants. Bryophytes generally live on land but are mostly found in moist environments, for they have free-swimming sperm that require water for transport. In contrast to the vascular plants, the gametophyte (haploid) generation of bryophytes constitutes the larger plant form, while the small sporophyte (diploid) generation grows on or within the gametophyte and depends upon it for nutrition.
Lichen:	The mutualistic symbiotic association of a fungus with an alga or a cyanobacterium, or both. The fungal component of a lichen absorbs water and nutrients from the surroundings and provides a suitable environment for the alga or cyanobacterium. These live protected among the dense fungal hyphae and produce carbohydrates for the fungus by photosynthesis. Owing to this partnership, lichens can thrive in harsh environments such as mountaintops and polar regions. The more familiar lichens grow slowly as crusty patches, but lichens are found in a variety of forms, such as the tall, plantlike reindeer moss. The association between the different organisms in a lichen is so close that lichens are routinely referred to as a single organism, and scientists classify lichens using the name of the fungal component.

(Definitions from: American Heritage Science Dictionary)

Growth Habit

Intro paragraph to be provided by New York.

Vine:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.
Shrub:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.
Tree:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.
Et cetera:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.

State Rank

This numeric rank provides the relative rarity for each species based on a scale from 1 (very rare) to 5 (common). These ranks carry no legal status.

S1 - Typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state.
S2 - Typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state.
S3 - Typically 21 to 100 occurrences, limited acreage, or miles of stream in the state.
S4 - Apparently secure in the state.
S5 - Demonstrably secure in the state.
SE - State exotic or non-native.
SH - Historically known from the state, but not seen in the past 15 years.
SNA - Species for which a rank is not applicable. This is mainly those species which are now excluded from flora for various reasons.
SNR - Not yet ranked.
SX - Apparently extirpated from the state.

Global Rank

Each species' global rank is determined by NatureServe. These ranks carry no legal weight. The global rank reflects the species worldwide rarity.

G1 - Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences), or very few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or especially vulnerable to extinction because of some factor of its biology.
G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors.
G3 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors.
G4 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors.
G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
GH - Historically known, with the expectation that it might be rediscovered.
GNA - Species for which a rank is not applicable. NatureServe does not typically rank hybrid species.
GNR - Not yet ranked.
GX - Species believed to be extinct.

Filter by County - Counties to Include - ANY versus ALL

Any - An Any search will combine the list of counties to include with a Boolean Or. Plant species returned will be found within at least one of the selected counties.
All - An All search will combine the list of counties to include with a Boolean And. Plant species returned will be found within each of the selected counties.

Filter by County - Counties to Exclude - ANY versus ALL

Any - An Any search will combine the list of counties to exclude with a Boolean Or. Plant species returned will not be found within at least one of the selected counties.
All - An All search will combine the list of counties to exclude with a Boolean And. Plant species returned will not be found within any of the selected counties.

Associated Ecological Communities

View a List of All Ecological Communities

For more information, contact: Richard Wunderlin or Bruce Hansen, Alan Franck, or Karla Alvarado

Web Development: USF Water Institute

A member of the University of South Florida family of PlantAtlas.org websites

Citation Information:

Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2024. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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Definition: Vouchered Specimen

A voucher specimen is a pressed and thoroughly dried plant sample deposited in a herbarium, and is intended to be a permanent record supporting research purposes. A voucher may be a record of a plant's occurrence in a particular area, or a specific example of a plant used in a scientific investigation.

Proper vouchers display all the necessary attributes for complete identification of the plant, and are to be accompanied by accurate locality, habitat, collection time, and collector data.

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