A tropical American tree (Caesalpinia coriaria) whose seed pods are used for tanning leather or making dyes.
From Spanish cascalote, possibly from Nahuatl or another Mesoamerican language, reflecting pre-Columbian botanical knowledge.
Before modern chemistry, people discovered that cascalote pods contain tannins perfect for leather-making—indigenous people knew this for centuries, and the Spanish borrowed both the plant and its name!
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