Also soap-berry, soap berry. [SOAP sb.]

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  1.  The fruit or nut of various species of Sapindus (esp. S. Saponaria), or of Acacia concinna, used in certain countries as a substitute for soap; a soap-nut.

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1693.  Phil. Trans., XVII. 621. The Sope-Berry, which is properly a Plumm, or between Nut and Plumm.

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1819.  Pantologia, X, Saponaria nacula,… soap berries. A spherical fruit, about the size of a cherry.

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1858.  Mayne, Expos. Lex., 118/2. Bermuda Berry, common name for the soap-nut, or soap-berry produced by the Sapindus saponaria.

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  2.  One or other of the trees bearing this fruit.

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1716.  Petiveriana, I. 222. Soap-berry,… Arbor Saponaria.

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1760.  J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. Soap Berry, Sapindus.

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1871.  Kingsley, At Last, xi. There is a young one fruiting finely in the Botanic Garden at Port of Spain…, a cousin of the Matapalos and of the Soap-berries.

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1874.  Stewart & Brandis, Flora N. West India, 108. S[apindus] Saponaria,… the West Indian Soapberry, is grown in the West Indies.

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  3.  attrib., as soapberry family, tree.

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1725.  Sloane, Jamaica, II. 132. Sope-berry Tree.

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1753.  Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., Sapindus, There is only one known species of this genus,… the soapberry tree.

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1819.  Pantologia, X, Sapindus rigidus, ash-leaved soap-berry tree…. A native of the West Indies and America.

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1847.  Darlington, Amer. Weeds, etc. (1860), 87. Sapindaceæ. Soapberry Family:… Fruit capsular or berry-like.

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1866.  Veness, El Dorado, xi. 119. The root, bark, and seed covering of the huruwassa or soap berry tree is an admirable substitute for soap.

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