N. 0. SAPINDACE^. Jbl 



ritha (Dec.) ; Ponnauga, ponau-kottai, pureandi, puvanti (Tarn.) ; 

 Kunkudu cliettu, kukudu, koukudu, kukudu-koyalu, kukudu- 

 Kayaln, Neykkoddau, Pannalaw (Tel.) ; Autala, artala, thalog 

 moratlm, kukate-kayi, kugate, auta wala, puvella, punerai gaspe- 

 nela, Penela (Sing.). 



Eng. : — The Soap-nut Tree. 



Habitat :— Common about the villages in South India and 

 cultivated in Bengal, Ceylon, Bombay. Barocla city, in the 

 Lakshmi Vilas Palace gardens. 



A large tree. Bark shining, grey, with rough, deciduous 

 scales. Wood yellow, hard. Leaves 5-12 in. (usually) ; normally 

 abruptly pinnate. Leaflets 2-3 pair, elliptic, generally obtuse 

 and somewhat emarginate, at times acute, those of the 

 terminal pair longest, 3-7in., glabrous or especially beneath, 

 pubescent, with short curved or stellate hairs ; base obtuse, 

 petioles short. Inflorescence rusty-pubscent, in terminal panicles. 

 Calyx rusty pubescent. Flowers £-J in. long, white, hairy, 

 greenish-white (Trimen). Sepals 5 elliptic, obtuse. Petals 4-5, 

 narrower, oblong or lanceolate without scales, or with two 

 tufts of white hair (Brand is ; " scale of the petals membranous, 

 pilose, ciliate," says Hiern. Disk concave, edge fleshy, hirsute. 

 Stamens 8, anthers oblong, spiculate. Ovary hairy densely 

 rusty, tomentose. Fruit 2-3-lobed fleshy. Drupes slightly unit- 

 ed, \-\ in. long, at length glaucescent, saponaceous. There are 

 two forms of this tree usually regarded as distinct species, 

 corresponding to ValiTs names, one with acuminate, glabrous 

 leaves, the other with emarginate leaves, pubescent beneath. 



Part used : — The fruit. 



Uses : — The fruit is described in the Makhzan-ul-Adwiya, 

 as hot, dry, tonic and alexipharmic. Four grains in wine 

 or sherbet cure colic ; one miskal rubbed in water until it 

 soaps, and then strained, may be given to people who have 

 been bitten by venomous reptiles, and to those suffering from 

 diarrhoea or cholera. Three or four grains may be given by 

 the nose in all kinds of fits producing insensibility. Fumiga- 

 tions with it are useful in hysteria and melancholia. Externally, 

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