Definition

Noun 1. A tropical tree (Andira inermis): A tree native to tropical regions of the Americas and West Africa, known for its rough, unpleasant-smelling bark, toxic properties, and strong, durable timber. Historically, its bark and seeds were used in traditional medicine as a purgative, vermifuge (to expel intestinal worms), and narcotic.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The cabbage bark tree can be identified by its distinctive shaggy bark.
  • Traditional healers once prepared remedies from the cabbage bark.
  • The wood of the cabbage bark is resistant to decay, making it valuable for construction.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: In botanical and ethnobotanical texts, "cabbage bark" specifically refers to and its historical uses, distinguishing it from other trees with similar common names.
• Historical/Medical Context: The term is used when discussing the historical pharmacopoeia of the Caribbean and South America, where parts of the tree were employed for their medicinal effects, despite their toxicity.

Variants and Related Words

• Cabbage-bark tree: A fuller common name for the same species.
• Angelim (in some regions): A name used for the timber of this and related species.
• Worm Bark: Another historical common name referencing its use as a vermifuge.
• Andira inermis: The scientific (Latin) name for the species.

Synonyms

• Cabbage tree (Note: This common name is also used for entirely different plants in other regions, such as in New Zealand).
• Partridge wood (a name sometimes used for the timber).

Notes on Meaning

The term "cabbage bark" is a highly specific common name for a single tree species, Andira inermis. Its meaning is almost exclusively botanical and historical. It does not refer to the bark of a cabbage plant. The name likely originates from the texture or appearance of the tree's bark, not from any relation to the vegetable.

Noun

1. tree with shaggy unpleasant-smelling toxic bark and yielding strong durable wood; bark and seeds used as a purgative and vermifuge and narcotic