Bitter Wood, is a tall and beautiful timber tree, common in the woods of Jamaica, belonging to the pentandra class of plants. The name is expressive of its sensible qualities.

Every part of this tree is intensely bitter; and even after the tree has been laid for floors many years, whoever rubs or scrapes the wood, feels a great degree of bitterness in their mouth or throat. Cabinet-work made of this wood is very useful, as no insect will live near it.

This tree has a great affinity to the Quassia Amara of Linnaeus; in lieu of which it is used as an antifeptic in putrid fevers. When used, less of it will do than of the Quassia Amara of Surinam. See Quassia, Botany and Materia Medica Index.

Picris, Ox-tongue; a genus of plants, belonging to the cynoglossa class. See Botany Index.