Sapindus


Sapindus is a genus of about thirteen species of shrubs and small trees in the lychee family, Sapindaceae and tribe Sapindeae. It is native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the world. The genus includes both deciduous and evergreen species. Members of the genus are commonly known as soapberries or soapnuts because the pulp of the fruit is used to make soap and shampoo. The generic name is derived from the Latin words sapo, meaning "soap", and indicus, meaning "of India".
The leaves are alternate, long, pinnate, with 14–30 leaflets, the terminal leaflet often absent. The flowers form in large panicles, each flower small, creamy white. The fruit is a small leathery-skinned drupe in diameter, yellow ripening blackish, containing one seed. Fossils date back to the Cretaceous.

Uses

The drupes contain saponins, 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 remedies to treat various conditions.

Insecticide

Sapindus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera 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:
  1. Sapindus chrysotrichus
  2. Sapindus delavayi
  3. Sapindus drummondii
  4. Sapindus emarginatus
  5. Sapindus lippoldii
  6. Sapindus mukorossi – Indian Soapberry
  7. Sapindus oahuensis – Lonomea
  8. Sapindus rarak
  9. Sapindus saponaria – 4 subspecies, previously considered as 2:
  10. # "S. s. var. drummondii" L.D.Benson – Western Soapberry is S. drummondii
  11. # S. s. var. saponaria – Wingleaf Soapberry ;
    Sapindus marginatus Willd. – Florida Soapberry – included here.
  12. Sapindus sonlaensis
  13. Sapindus tomentosus – China
  14. Sapindus trifoliatus L. – South India Soapnut or Three-leaf Soapberry: Southern India, Pakistan
  15. Sapindus vitiensis A.Gray

    Formerly placed here

  • Lepisanthes fruticosa Leenh.
  • Lepisanthes senegalensis Leenh.
  • Lepisanthes tetraphylla Radlk.
  • Talisia cerasina Radlk.
  • Talisia esculenta Radlk.