Quillaja saponaria
| Soap bark tree | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Quillajaceae |
| Genus: | Quillaja |
| Species: | Q. saponaria |
| Binomial name | |
| Quillaja saponaria | |
Soap bark tree (Quillaja saponaria) is a tree of the family Quillajaceae.[1] In commerce, it is known as Panama wood. The tree grows naturally from warm temperate central Chile north to Bolivia and Peru. It can grow to 15 m (49 ft) to 20 m (66 ft) high. The Soap bark tree gets its name because the inner bark can be made into a powder which can be used as soap. Its compounds are also used as foam in beer and other drinks. The tree also has medicinal uses.[2]
Morphology
[change | change source]Quillay is an evergreen tree, with grey bark. Alternate leaves, glaber, acute apex and obtuse base, bright green, near entire margins with 4-8 teeth. Flowers light green or white, hermaphrodite, pentamer, radiate. Five petals, 5 sepals, 10 stamens and 5 pistils. Fruit: a star-shape capsule, with winged seeds.

References
[change | change source]- ↑ APG II 2003 listing Archived 2007-09-15 at the Wayback Machine notes that Quillajaceae is a part of the order Fabales and no longer a part of the family Rosaceae (order Rosales)
- ↑ "Database Entry for Quillaja - Quillaja saponaria Quillaja - Quillaja saponaria Quillaja - Quillaja saponaria Quillaja - Quillaja saponaria". Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2007-12-18.