Anaqua

/ˌænəˈkwɑː/ noun

Definition

A medium-sized tree native to South Texas and Mexico, valued for its hard wood and edible fruit; also called the sandpaper tree.

Etymology

From Spanish/Portuguese, likely from a Nahuatl or indigenous Mesoamerican language; the common name 'sandpaper tree' comes from the rough texture of its leaves.

Kelly Says

The anaqua tree literally has sandpaper-textured leaves—so rough you could actually use them to smooth wood, which indigenous peoples and early settlers actually did, making it a living tool long before sandpaper was invented.

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