bonduc

American  

[bon-duhk] / ˈbɒn dʌk /

noun

1. a semitropical tree, Caesalpinia bonducella, of the legume family, the decorative seeds of which are used for jewelry and rosaries.

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Etymology

Origin of bonduc

Probably earlier than 1940–45; < French < Arabic bunduq hazelnut ≪ Greek Pontikòn ( káryon ) hazelnut, literally, Pontic nut

Example Sentences

Cæsalpinia bonduc.—A tropical plant, bearing the seeds known as nicker nuts, or bonduc nuts.

From Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture by Saunders, William

There are two species, the bonduc, or yellow nickar, and the bonducella, or grey nickar.

From Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume II (of 2) A full account of the colony and its inhabitants from the time of the Caribs to the present day by Anonymous

I had intended to have asked you whether the Mimosa scandens and Guilandina bonduc grows at Kew, to try fresh seeds.

From Life and Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 1 by Darwin, Francis, Sir

The most conspicuous plant is the prickly Guilandina bonduc, the long briar-like trailing and climbing shoots of which impede one while traversing the thickets.

From Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake, Commanded By the Late Captain Owen Stanley, R.N., F.R.S. Etc. During the Years 1846-1850. Including Discoveries and Surveys in New Guinea, the Louisiade Archipelago, Etc. to Which Is Added the Account of Mr. E.B. Kennedy's Expedition for the Exploration of the Cape York Peninsula. By John Macgillivray, F.R.G.S. Naturalist to the Expedition. — Volume 1 by MacGillivray, John

On the shores of the Hebrides, we collect seeds of Mimosa scandens, of Dolichos urens, of Guilandina bonduc, and several other plants of Jamaica, the isle of Cuba, and of the neighbouring continent.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 1 by Ross, Thomasina