SAPONARIA, in botany, a genus of the decandria digynia class. The calix consists of one leaf, and the corolla of five clawed petals; and the capsule is oblong, with one cell. There are six species, only one of them, viz. the officinalis, or soap-wort, a native of Britain. The root of this species is supposed to be aperient, corroborant, and sudorific.