Vouacapoua
/ˌvuː.ə.kəˈpuː.ə/noun
A tropical South American tree of the genus Vouacapoua, valued for its exceptionally hard timber.
Did you know?The name was adopted into botanical Latin from a vernacular term recorded in French Guiana, making it a linguistic trace of Indigenous South American plant knowledge.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-18th Century
Indigenous Guianan language
vouacapou
“A vernacular name for a South American hardwood tree; the precise source language and original literal meaning are uncertain.”
1775
French
vouacapou
“A French Guianan plant name recorded in botanical literature.”
1775
Botanical Latin
Vouacapoua
“A genus name established by French botanist Jean Baptiste Christophe Aublet.”
19th Century
English
vouacapoua
“A tropical American tree, especially one producing very hard timber.”
Modern English
English
vouacapoua
“A tree of the genus Vouacapoua, chiefly associated with South American forests.”
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