Samanea
/səˈmiːniə/noun
A botanical genus of tropical trees in the legume family, including the rain tree or monkeypod tree.
Did you know?The name is associated with the rain tree, whose broad crown can collect moisture and whose leaflets fold at night or during rain—an effect once easily interpreted as botanical magic.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Indigenous American languages
saman / related forms
“A vernacular name for a large tropical tree; the precise original language is disputed or uncertain.”
18th Century
Spanish
samán
“The common name used in parts of Spanish America for the rain tree, especially in Venezuela.”
18th–19th Century
French and English
saman
“A borrowed plant name for the rain tree or related tropical trees.”
19th Century
Botanical Latin
Samanea
“A Latinized genus name formed from the vernacular name saman or samán.”
Modern English
English
Samanea
“The accepted scientific genus name for several tropical leguminous trees, including Samanea saman.”