Description
Acacia catechu Senegalia catechu is a deciduous thorny tree which grows up to 15 m (50 ft) in height. The plant is called khair in Hindi and kachu in Malay hence the name was Latinized to “catechu” in Linnaean taxonomy as the type-species from which the extracts cutch and catechu are derived. Common names for it include catechu cachou cutchtree black cutch and black catechu. Senegalia catechu is found in Asia China India and the Indian Ocean area. Through derivatives of the flavanols in its extracts the species has lent its name to the important catechins catechols and catecholamines of chemistry and biology.
