Harpullia pendula

(Tulipwood)

Description

This member of the Sapindaceae has compound leaves with 4–5 leaflets and a very small spine in the position of a terminal leaflet. The flowers have 5 spreading greenish-yellow to white petals and the eight stamens have salmon-pink anthers. The falling flowers form a carpet on the ground under the tree in January. The attractive 2-lobed capsules are yellow-orange to red at maturity and split open to reveal black seeds with virtually no aril.