The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Kino (gum)

KINO, kē'nō, a kind of gum which exudes from certain trees when an incision is made, and is dried without artificial heat. The East Indian or Malabar kino comes from a legumimous tree (Pterocarpus marsupium); Bengal or Palas kino from Butea frondosa; and Australian or Botany Bay kino from Eucalyptus rostrata; West Indian from a third plant (Coccoloba unifera). It consists of dark red angular fragments, rarely larger than a pea, and easily splitting into still smaller pieces. It is very soluble in spirits of wine, and in general behavior closely resembles catechu, and yields by similar treatment the same products. In medicine it is an astringent and tonic.