| 词源 |
soapberry. The scientific name (Sapindus) for this tree ex- plains the berry’s use: Sapindus is a combination of the Latin for “soap” (sappo) and “Indus” (Indian). American Indians used the berries for soap. The pulp of soapberries contains saponin, so they lather up easily and were valued as shampoo, although the soap made from them does damage some materials. Saponin, the lather-producing agent in soapberries, can be poisonous if taken internally; in fact, American Indians caught fish by stupe- fying them with bits of the fruit thrown into pools. |