Gleditsia sinensis

Gleditsia sinensis
Gleditsia sinensis trunk with thorns
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Gleditsia
Species:	G. sinensis
Binomial name
Gleditsia sinensis Lam.[1]

Gleditsia sinensis is a species of flowering plant native to Asia.

Etymology

In China, the Gleditsia sinensisit plant is commonly known as zào jiá^[1] (Chinese: 皂荚). The English equivalents include includes Chinese honey locust (or Chinese honeylocust),^[2] soap bean^[3] and soap pod.^[4]

Medicinal uses

It is one of the alleged "50 fundamental herbs" used in traditional Chinese medicine. Gleditsia sinensis has been used in China for at least 2000 years as a detergent.^[5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Gleditsia sinensis information from NPGS/GRIN". http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?17639. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
2. ^ "皂荚,皂角,Chinese Honeylocust,Gleditsia sinensis >> 宠物世家--宠物物种中文档案库Species.IntoPet.com". http://species.intopet.com/2047.shtml. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
3. ^ U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry (William A. Taylor, Chief of Bureau) (1914). Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported by the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction During the period from April 1 to June 30, 1912. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. pp. 110. http://books.google.com/books?id=xUJJAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA9-PA30&lpg=RA9-PA30&dq=%22soap+bean&source=bl&ots=uCdSvlRL6N&sig=stvm0P2sp037-gtDwlEonTWO2jc&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result. Retrieved 2008-10-27. "Gleditsia sinensis Lam. Caesalpiniaceae. Soap bean." 
4. ^ "Rootdown.us - Herb - Zao Jia". http://www.rootdown.us/Herbs/Zao+Jia?MeridianID=10. Retrieved 2008-10-28. 
5. ^ "KryssTal: Inventions (1 AD to 1,000 AD)". http://www.krysstal.com/display_inventions.php?years=1+AD+to+1%2C000+AD. Retrieved 2008-10-27.