Gleditsia sinensis, known as zào jiá (皂荚) or Chinese honey locust and black locust in English, is a species of flowering plant native to Asia.
| Gleditsia sinensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gleditsia sinensis trunk with thorns | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Genus: | Gleditsia |
| Species: | G. sinensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Gleditsia sinensis | |
Description
Zao jia grows as a tree up to 30 m tall. Spines are often branching and are robust, terete, conical and up to 16 cm in length. Leaves are pinnate. Flowers are yellowish-white and polygamous with male flowers being 9-10 mm in diameter and bisexual flowers being 10-12 mm in diameter with slightly longer petals and sepals. Flowers have 4 petals and 4 sepals.[2]
Etymology
In China, Gleditsia sinensis is commonly known as zào jiá[1] (traditional Chinese: 皂莢; simplified Chinese: 皂荚). The English equivalents include Chinese honey locust (or Chinese honeylocust),[3] soap bean[4] and soap pod.[5]
Taxonomy
Zao jia is one of 14 species in the Gleditsia genus in the Caesalpinioideae subfamily of the legume family.[6] Of these, Gleditsia caspica is the closest phylogenetic relative of G. sinensis.[7]
Traditional medicine
It is one of the "50 fundamental herbs" used in traditional Chinese medicine. Gleditsia sinensis has been used in China for at least 2000 years as a detergent.[8] The thorns of Gleditsia sinensis are used as a medicinal herb in China and Korea and may have antitumor properties.[9] The thorns of Gleditsia sinensis LAM. (Leguminosae) have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including swelling, suppuration, carbuncle and skin diseases.[10]
References
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