jacaranda

jacaranda (jak-uh-RAN-duh, jak-uh-ran-DAH) - n., any of several tropical South American trees and shrubs of genus Jacaranda with compound pinnate leaves and lavender-blue funnel-shaped flowers, especially J. mimosifolia; the hard, dark wood of these trees.



Thanks, WikiMedia!

Yes, South America and not, as I thought, South Asia -- the above picture being from Pakistan, as J. mimosifolia has been cultivated for its flowers in tropical areas worldwide. We got the name from Portuguese jacarandá, from Old Tupi yacarandá/jakaraná, meaning either hard-wood or fragrant -- Portuguese dictionaries of the time disagree here, and apparently no one in English has followed up on this important detail.

---L.