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Quillaja saponaria - Soap bark tree

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Created page with "thumb|right|''Quillaja saponaria'', ''Soap bark tree'' '''Soap bark tree''' or '''Quillaja saponaria''', is an evergreen tree in the family Qu..."
[[File:Quillaja saponaria.jpg|thumb|right|''Quillaja saponaria'', ''Soap bark tree'']]

'''Soap bark tree''' or '''Quillaja saponaria''', is an evergreen tree in the family Quillajaceae, native to warm temperate central Chile.

== Description ==

In Chile it occurs from 32 to 40° South Latitude approximately. Populations are found even 2000 m (6500 ft) above sea level. It can grow to 15–20 m (50–65 ft) in height. The tree has thick, dark bark, smooth, leathery, shiny, oval evergreen leaves 3–5 cm long, white flowers 15 mm diameter borne in dense corymbs, and a dry fruit with five follicles each containing 10-20 seeds.

The inner bark of Quillaja saponaria can be reduced to powder and employed as a substitute for soap, since it forms a lather with water, owing to the presence of a glucoside saponin, sometimes distinguished as quillaia saponin. It also applied as an agricultural spray adjuvant. The same, or a closely similar substance, is found in soapwort (Saponaria officinalis), in senega root (Polygala senega) and in sarsaparilla; it appears to be chemically related to digitonin, which occurs in digitalis.

== Uses ==

*Soap bark tree has a long history of medicinal use with the Andean people who used it especially as a treatment for various chest problems<ref name="uses"/>
*It is the source of quillaia, the extract of which is used as a food additive and as an ingredient in pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and fire-fighting foam.
*It is used as additive for photographic films and foaming for drinks. The saponin content of the bark helps to stimulate the production of a more fluid mucus in the airways, thus facilitating the removal of phlegm through coughing.
*The wood is used in cabinetry, and scents derived from the tree are used in perfumes and cosmetics.

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="uses">Soap bark tree has a long history of medicinal use with the Andean people who used it especially as a treatment for various chest problems</ref>
</references>

== External Links ==

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quillaja_saponaria Quillaja saponaria - wikipedia]

[[Category:Herbs]]

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