Friis, I. and K. Vollesen (1999) Sapindaceae in Flora of Somalia 2: 239-253

Plants usually trees, shrubs,, or woody climbers, rarely herbaceous climbers. Leaves alternate or opposite, usually without stipules; petioles and rachises sometimes winged;  blades simple or compound, if compoundd, either digitately or pinnately. Inflorescences in racemelike or paniculate, terminal or axillary thyrses. Flowers unisexual or bisexual, sometimes unisexual but appearing bisexual, rarely plants unisexual (and species dioecious); sepals 4-5, often connate at the base; petals 0-5, sometimes with 1 or a few scales on the inside near the base; nectary discs usually present, outside the stamens or staminodes, rarely  absent; stamens (3-)5-12(-30), free or united at the base, reduced to staminodes in female flowers; ovaries superior, 2-8-celled, cells united or free apically, each cell with 1-2 ovules; styles simple; stigmas entire or lobed, male flowers usually with a simple pistillode. Fruits capsules, berry, drupes, samara, or schizocarps with indehiscent cocci; seeds often with fleshy arillodes.

Sapindaceae, as described above, include Aceraceae and Hippocastanaceae, as recommended by APG4. The major additions are that the Aceraceae have opposite leaves and that the Hippocastanceae has digitately compound leaves and that both often have bisexual flowers, the Aceraceae sometimes having a mix of unisexual and bisexual flowers. When included in the Sapindaceae, they are often treated as subfamilies. They are not present in Somaliland or Somalia.