Sapindus is a genus of about thirteen species of and small in the lychee family, Sapindaceae and tribe Sapindeae. It is native to warm temperate to Tropics regions of the world. The genus includes both deciduous and evergreen species. Members of the genus are commonly known as soapberries
The leaf are alternate, long, pinnate (except in S. oahuensis, which has simple leaves), with 14-30 leaflets, the terminal leaflet often absent. The form in large , each flower small, creamy white. The fruit is a small leathery-skinned drupe in diameter, yellow ripening blackish, containing one to three . Fossils date back to the Cretaceous.
Uses
The drupes (soapnuts) contain
, which have
surfactant properties, being used for washing by ancient Asian and American peoples.
A number of other uses for
Sapindus have also been reported such as making arrows from the wood and decorative objects from the seeds.
Folk medicine
Leaf and fruit extracts of
Sapindus have historically been used in
Folk medicine to treat various conditions.
Insecticide
Sapindus species are used as food plants by the
Caterpillar of some
Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) species including
Endoclita malabaricus. Kernel extracts of soapnut disrupt the activity of enzymes of larvae and pupae and inhibit the growth of the
mosquito Aedes aegypti, an important vector of viral diseases.
Dyeing process
Soapnut is used as a scouring agent for preparation of coloring fibers such as the yarn of
Tussar silk and cotton.
Species
The number of species is disputed between different authors, particularly in
North America where between one and three species are accepted. ,
Plants of the World Online includes:
[ Plants of the World Online: Sapindus Tourn. ex L. (retrieved 24 February 2024)]
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Sapindus chrysotrichus (southern Vietnam)
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Sapindus delavayi (China, India)
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Sapindus drummondii (USA: Arizona to SE. Colorado and Louisiana)
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Sapindus emarginatus (Southern Asia)
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Sapindus lippoldii (Cuba)
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Sapindus mukorossi – Indian Soapberry (India and the Himalayas east to Indochina and Japan)
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Sapindus oahuensis – Lonomea (Kauai and Oahu, Hawaii)
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Sapindus rarak (Southeast Asia)
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Sapindus saponaria - 4 subspecies, previously considered as 2:
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" S. s. var. drummondii" (Hook. & Arn.) L.D.Benson – Western Soapberry (southwestern US, Mexico) is S. drummondii
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S. s. var. saponaria – Wingleaf Soapberry (southeastern US, Caribbean, island of Hawaiʻi, Central America, South America);
Sapindus marginatus Willd. – Florida Soapberry - included here.
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Sapindus sonlaensis (Sơn La, NW Vietnam)
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Sapindus tomentosus - China
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Sapindus trifoliatus L. – South India Soapnut or Three-leaf Soapberry: Southern India, Pakistan (synonym S. laurifolius Vahl = "Ritha")
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Sapindus vitiensis Asa Gray (American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji)
Formerly placed here
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Lepisanthes fruticosa (Roxb.) Leenh. (as S. fruticosus Roxb.)
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Lepisanthes senegalensis (Juss. ex Poir.) Leenh. (as S. senegalensis Juss. ex Poir.)
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Lepisanthes tetraphylla (Vahl) Radlk. (as S. tetraphylla Vahl)
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Talisia cerasina (Benth.) Radlk. (as S. cerasinus Benth.)
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Talisia esculenta (A.St.-Hil.) Radlk. (as S. esculenta A.St.-Hil.)
External links
