Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of tree or shrub: A handsome South American shrub or small tree (Quassia amara) known for its bright scarlet flowers and fine-grained yellowish wood.
   • A medicinal substance: A very bitter drug, insecticide, tonic, or vermifuge extracted from the wood and bark of trees from the genera Quassia and Picrasma.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Referring to the plant):

  • The quassia in the botanical garden is flowering beautifully.
  • The wood of the quassia is valued for its fine grain and color.

• Noun (Referring to the extract):

  • The pharmacist prepared a tincture of quassia as a digestive tonic.
  • In organic gardening, a quassia spray is sometimes used to control aphids.

Advanced Usage

• "Quassia chips": Dried chips of quassia wood, often used to make infusions or decoctions.
  • She steeped quassia chips in hot water to make a bitter medicinal tea.

Variants and Related Words

• Quassia amara (n): The scientific name for the specific species of quassia tree native to South America.
• Quassin (n): The primary bitter compound (a lactone) isolated from quassia wood, responsible for its medicinal properties.

Synonyms

• Bitterwood: A common name for trees of the genus , referring to the intense bitterness of the wood and extract.
• Picrasma: A related genus of trees (e.g., ) whose bark also yields a similar bitter extract sometimes called quassia.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Quassia cup: A cup made from quassia wood, historically believed to impart its bitter properties to liquids stored in it, used as a tonic.
  • He drank his water from an old quassia cup for its supposed health benefits.
• Quassia infusion: A liquid preparation made by soaking quassia wood or chips in water.
  • A quassia infusion can be applied topically to treat head lice.

Noun

1. handsome South American shrub or small tree having bright scarlet flowers and yielding a valuable fine-grained yellowish wood; yields the bitter drug quassia from its wood and bark
2. a bitter compound used as an insecticide and tonic and vermifuge; extracted from the wood and bark of trees of the genera Quassia and Picrasma