Hippocastanoideae is a subfamily of flowering plants in the soapberry family Sapindaceae. The two tribes in the group (Acereae and Hippocastaneae) were formerly treated as the separate families Aceraceae and Hippocastanaceae. Molecular phylogenetic research by Harrington et al. (2005)Harrington, M. G., Edwards, K. J., Johnson, S. A., Chase, M. W., & Gadek, P. A. (2005). Phylogenetic inference in Sapindaceae sensu lato using plastid matK and rbcL DNA sequences. Systematic Botany 30: 366-382. Abstract. has shown that while both the Aceraceae and Hippocastanaceae are monophyletic in themselves, their removal from the Sapindaceae sensu lato would leave Sapindaceae sensu stricto as a paraphyletic group, particularly with reference to the genus Xanthoceras.
The most widespread genera are Acer (the maples) and Aesculus (the horse chestnuts and buckeyes). A feature of the subfamily is the palmate compound leaves.Hippocastanaceae in L.Watson and M.J.Dallwitz. 1992 onwards. The families of flowering plants.
Genera Genus Authority Common name Number of Living Species ImageAcerLinnaeusMaples160AesculusLinnaeusHorse-chestnuts & buckeyes13-19BilliaPeyeitsch2DipteroniaOliver2HandeliodendronRehder1
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