Lignum-vitae, << LIHG nuhm VY tee, >> is the name of two species of trees that produce extremely hard wood. The trees grow in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. They are sometimes called guayacans. The Latin words lignum vitae mean wood of life. The trees were so named because resin made from their wood was used to treat rheumatism, catarrh, and skin diseases.
The heartwood of a lignum-vitae is the most useful part of the tree. This wood is so heavy that it sinks in water. The wood is olive-brown in color and contains an oily resin that acts as a lubricant when the wood is used for bearings. The grain of lignum-vitae interlocks and makes it practically impossible for the wood to be split. Lignum-vitae is used for the stern propeller-shaft bearings in steamships, for the sheaves and blocks of pulleys, and for mallets, furniture casters, and band saw guides.
