Kusum oil

The plant, which is also commonly known as Ceylon oak, lac tree, or Macassar oiltree,[1] belongs to the family Sapindaceae.

The bunches of fruit are plucked by climbing the Schleichera oleosa trees.

The oil is yellowish brown, semi-solid, with the faint odour of bitter almond.

When allowed to settle, a light coloured solid fat separates.

But the exact location of the cyanogenic compound in the oil or its nature has not been reported.