Definition

Noun: 1. A tree species: "Cuban bast" is the common name for a specific erect forest tree (Hibiscus elatus) native to Cuba and Jamaica. It is characterized by leaves that can be variably hairy, and it produces orange-yellow to orange-red flowers. The tree yields a moderately dense timber valued for cabinetwork and gunstocks.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The fine-grained wood of the Cuban bast is prized by furniture makers.
  • Botanists study the Cuban bast for its distinctive, variably hairy leaves.
  • The forest reserve is home to several specimens of Cuban bast.

Advanced Usage

• As a botanical term: The term is used specifically in botany, forestry, and woodworking to identify this particular species and its timber.
  • The timber list specified Cuban bast for the interior paneling.

Variants and Related Words

• Blue Mahoe: Another common name for the same tree species (), often used interchangeably with "Cuban bast," particularly referring to its timber.
• Hibiscus elatus: The formal botanical (Latin) name for the species.

Synonyms

• Blue Mahoe (n): A direct synonym for the same tree and its wood.
• Mahoe (n): A shorter, sometimes regional name for the same or similar species.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "Cuban bast" refers exclusively to this specific tree and the wood derived from it. The word "bast" in the name refers to the inner fibrous bark, though the tree is primarily valued for its timber. It does not have other common metaphorical or idiomatic meanings.

Noun

1. erect forest tree of Cuba and Jamaica having variably hairy leaves and orange-yellow or orange-red flowers; yields a moderately dense timber for cabinetwork and gunstocks