palo-santo

from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

• n. In countries settled by the Spaniards, a name given to several trees which either have medicinal qualities, or are esteemed by the natives for other reasons; in Mexico to Guaiacum sanctum and G. officinale, also called guayacan, belonging to the family Zygophyllaceæ; to Fouquieria splendens, which yields torches for burning at religious ceremonies (see ocotilla); to Ipomæa murucoides, yielding medicinal bark; and in the state of Jalisco, to a leguminous tree, Diphysa suberosa.