barbasco

American  

[bahr-bas-koh, -bah-skoh] / bɑrˈbæs koʊ, -ˈbɑ skoʊ /

noun

plural

barbascos

1. a shrub or small tree, Jacquinia barbasco, of tropical America, the source of a substance used to stun fish so they can be caught easily.

2. any similar plant yielding a substance that stuns or kills fish.

3. the fish-stunning or fish-killing substance obtained from these plants.

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Etymology

Origin of barbasco

First recorded in 1855–60; from Latin American Spanish, said to be alteration of verbasco “mullein,” from Latin verbascum

Example Sentences

Then Dr. George Rosenkranz, at that time a Syntex research chemist, found that the Mexican yam, or barbasco root, yielded much larger amounts of diosgenin.

From Time Magazine Archive

We would not employ the barbasco, that is to say, the roots of the Piscidea erithyrna, the Jacquinia armillaris, and some species of phyllanthus, which thrown into the pool, intoxicate or benumb the eels.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 2 by Humboldt, Alexander von

We would not employ the barbasco, that is to say, the roots of Piscidea erithryna and Jacquinia armillaris, which, when thrown into the pool, intoxicate or benumb these animals.

From Natural History in Anecdote Illustrating the nature, habits, manners and customs of animals, birds, fishes, reptiles, etc., etc., etc. by Various