Sapindus is a genus of about thirteen species of shrubs and small trees in the lychee family,<!---Introducing this genus as belonging to soapberry family is nonsensical, since it contains the only species known as soapberries. I would use maple as a representative of the family, but the placement of Acer in it is rather recent and not completely agreed upon.---> 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 , meaning "soap", and , meaning "of India".

The leaves are alternate, long, pinnate (except in S.&nbsp;oahuensis, which has simple leaves), 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.

Ecology

Sapindus species are used as food plants by the larvae 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.

Uses

thumb|Soapnut is used with natural dyes to color the yarn of [[Tussar silk|Tasar silk.]]

thumb|upright|[[Sapindus emarginatus leaves, India]]

The drupes (soapnuts) 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.

Dyeing process

Soapnut is used as a scouring agent for preparation of coloring fibers such as the yarn of Tussar silk and cotton.

Species

thumb|upright|[[Sapindus emarginatus drupes in Hyderabad, India]]

thumb|upright|[[Sapindus drummondii, the Western Soapberry: drupes]]

, Plants of the World Online includes 20 species:

Formerly placed here

  • Lepisanthes fruticosa <small>(Roxb.) Leenh.</small> (as S. fruticosus <small>Roxb.</small>)
  • Lepisanthes senegalensis <small>(Juss. ex Poir.) Leenh.</small> (as S. senegalensis <small>Juss. ex Poir.</small>)
  • Lepisanthes tetraphylla <small>(Vahl) Radlk.</small> (as S. tetraphylla <small>Vahl</small>)
  • Talisia cerasina <small>(Benth.) Radlk.</small> (as S. cerasinus <small>Benth.</small>)
  • Talisia esculenta <small>(A.St.-Hil.) Radlk.</small> (as S. esculenta <small>A.St.-Hil.</small>)

References

  • Flora of India: Sapindus
  • Flora of Pakistan: Sapindus
  • Flora of China: Sapindus species list