tonka bean

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A tropical South American tree (Dipteryx odorata) having pulpy, egg-shaped, one-seeded pods and fragrant seeds used as a substitute for vanilla and for flavoring tobacco and candies.
2. n. The seed of this tree.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The seed of the cuamara, Dipteryx odorata, a tall tree of Venezuela, Guiana, and some neighboring regions. The seeds are of the shape of an almond, but much longer, and covered with a shining black skin. They are fragrant from the presence of coumarin, and are used entire to scent wardrobes, or pulverized in sachets, or in fluid extract in perfumery. They are applied, either entire or in powder, to flavor snuff. Also Tonquin bean (see tonka).
2. n. The tree producing the tonka-bean. See cuamara.

Wiktionary

1. n. The black wrinkled seed of Dipteryx odorata, a neotropical legume tree, used as a perfume and vanilla substitute.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. (Bot.) The seed of a leguminous tree (Dipteryx odorata), native of Guiana. It has a peculiarly agreeable smell, and is employed in the scenting of snuff. Called also tonquin bean.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. tall tropical South American tree having pulpy egg-shaped pods of fragrant black almond-shaped seeds used for flavoring
2. n. fragrant black nutlike seeds of the tonka bean tree; used in perfumes and medicines and as a substitute for vanilla