山皂荚(原变种) shan zao jia (yuan bian zhong)

Fagara horrida Thunberg; Gleditsia melanacantha Tang & F. T. Wang.

Female flowers 5-6 mm in diam. Legume 20-35 × 2-4 cm, glabrous.

Sunny slopes, valleys, streamsides, near roads; 100-1000 m. An­hui, Hebei, Henan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shandong, Zhe­jiang [Japan, Korea].

This species is commonly cultivated in China. The heartwood has a beautiful pink color; the wood is durable and can be used for props, carpentry work, and building. The seeds are used medicinally, and the young leaves are edible.