A tropical American tree with hard, fragrant wood used in cabinetmaking and the production of railroad ties and other heavy timber applications.
From Nahuatl (Aztec) or Spanish colonial sources; the word traveled through Spanish into English during the period of American expansion and timber trade.
The anacahuita's extremely dense wood made it invaluable for railroad construction, and its demand helped drive both the expansion of railroads and deforestation across Mexico and Central America.
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