In Mahabharat there is a story that Kauravs built a house made of Lac (लक्षागृह) For Pandavas. They had plans to set fire to the lac house when Pandavas would be in the house. So the uses and cultivation of lac were known to Indians thousands of years ago.
Lac is secretion of certain scale insects which settle on a plant and suck the vital juices of the host plant. As they suck the sap, waxy substance is exuded from their bodies. Ficus, Ber (Ziziphus spp.), Flame of forest (Butea monosperma) and Kusum (Schleichera oleosa). Lac from Kusum tree is supposed to be of the best quality. India was a largest manufacturer of Lac.
Lac is secretion of certain scale insects which settle on a plant and suck the vital juices of the host plant. As they suck the sap, waxy substance is exuded from their bodies. Ficus, Ber (Ziziphus spp.), Flame of forest (Butea monosperma) and Kusum (Schleichera oleosa). Lac from Kusum tree is supposed to be of the best quality. India was a largest manufacturer of Lac.
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| Lac on Ficus benjamina |
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| Lac on Ziziphus tree branch |
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