Billia

Billia is a genus with two species in the family of Soapberry ( Sapindaceae ).

Dissemination

The range extends from southern Mexico to Ecuador.

Description

Billia species are evergreen trees. The opposite, large, compound leaves are fingered in three parts.

They form eared inflorescences. The flowers are zygomorphic. The five free sepals are reddish. The four to five free petals are white to yellow. Three carpels are fused into a superior ovaries. There are six to eight stamens present. The fruit capsules are trilocular.

Species

In the genus Billia only two types are available:

• Billia hippocastanum Peyr.
• Billia rosea ( Planch. & Linden ) C. Ulloa & PM Jørg. ( Syn: Billia columbiana Planch & Linden, Putzeysia rosea Planch & Linden. . )

Further Reading

• F. Forest, JN Drouin, R. Charest, L. Brouillet, A. Bruneau: A morphological phylogenetic analysis of Aesculus L. and Billia Peyr. ( Sapindaceae ). In: Canadian Journal of Botany. 79, No. 2, February 2001, pp. 154-169 (16).