quassia

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkwɒʃə, ˈkwɒʃɪə, ˈkwasɪə/

noun

  • a South American shrub or small tree related to ailanthus.
    • Genera Quassia and Picrasma, family Simaroubaceae: several species, in particular Q. amara
  • [mass noun] the wood, bark, or root of the quassia, yielding a bitter medicinal tonic, insecticide, and vermifuge.

Origin:

named after Graman Quassi, an 18th-century Surinamese slave who discovered its medicinal properties in 1730