Catechu (/ˈkætɪʃuː/ or /ˈkætɪtʃuː/)[1] is an extract of acacia trees used variously as a food additive, astringent, tannin, and dye. It is extracted from several species of Acacia, but especially Senegalia catechu (previously called Acacia catechu), by boiling the wood in water and evaporating the resulting brew.[2] The Malay name kachu is the basis of the Latinized[3] catechu chosen as the Linnaean taxonomy name of the plant species which provides the extract.
- ^ "catechu". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ Cutch and catechu plant origin Archived 2019-02-10 at the Wayback Machine from the Food and Agriculture Department of the United Nations. Document repository accessed November 5, 2011
- ^ Derivation of word from Malay