bitterwood meaning and definition

BITTERWOOD noun

Definition of bitterwood (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
   • synonyms: quassia, Quassia amara
2. West Indian tree yielding the drug Jamaica quassia
   • synonyms: Jamaica quassia, Picrasma excelsa, Picrasma excelsum
3. medium to large tree of tropical North and South America having odd-pinnate leaves and long panicles of small pale yellow flowers followed by scarlet fruits
   • synonyms: paradise tree, Simarouba glauca