Steinmetz:Caesalpinia

Caesalpinia bonduc

Also known as (or relevant to) Caesalpinia bonduc Caesalpinia bonducella Guilandina bonducella Bonducella guilandina Family Leguminosae English Names Nicker tree Bonduc tree Molucca Bean Nikkar nut Nichol seed tree Natural Habitat tropical Asia Africa Indonesia Brazil Part(s) Used Semen Bonducellae = Semen Guilandinae (the kernels)

Constituent(s) bonducin guilandina fixed oil bitter principle sugar albumen starch tannin Action bitter tonic antiperiodic febrifuge diuretic antispasmodic vermifuge. In Jamaica the seeds are roasted whereby the bitterness is partly removed and made into coffee which is employed in diabetes

Caesalpinia coriaria

Also known as (or relevant to) Caesalpinia coriaria Family Leguminosae English Names Dividibi Natural Habitat South America West Indies Part(s) Used Semen Divi-Divi (the pod)

Constituent(s) tannin Action astringent antiperiodic tonic febrifuge used for tanning

Caesalpinia echinata (and other species)

Also known as (or relevant to) Caesalpinia echinata (and other species) Guilandina echinata Family Leguminosae English Names Brazil wood Peach-wood Pernambuco wood Natural Habitat tropical America. India Ceylon Part(s) Used Lignum Fernambuci = Lignum brasiliense rubrum (the heartwood)

Constituent(s) brasilin (colouring matter) essential oil tannin Action astringent used in diarrhoea dyeing and tanning material

Caesalpinia sappan

Also known as (or relevant to) Caesalpinia sappan Family Leguminosae English Names Sappan Wood Bukkum Wood Natural Habitat India Indonesia (especially the island of Sumbawa) Cochin China Thailand Part(s) Used heartwood

Constituent(s) brasilin gallic acid tannic acid; sappan-red (red colouring matter) resembling haematoxylin Action wood: used as a red dye. It is an excellent substitute for Logwood although weaker. Medicinally an infusion is used against vomiting blood as a powerful astringent in diarrhoea and as an emmenagogue

Caesalpinia tinctoria

Also known as (or relevant to) Caesalpinia tinctoria Family Caesalpiniaceae English Names Tara Natural Habitat Brazil Peru Part(s) Used Semen Tara (the pods)

Action used for tanning and dyeing