physic nut

noun

1. an ornamental, tropical American tree, Jatropha curcas, of the spurge family, having ivylike leaves, small, yellow or greenish-yellow flowers, and olive-shaped fruit yielding a purgative, poisonous oil.
2. the fruit itself.

Word History and Origins

Origin of physic nut¹

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

A beautiful pale yellow oil is procured from the seeds of the angular-leaved physic nut, Jatropha curcas, a shrub which is often employed in the tropics as a fence for enclosures.

From Project Gutenberg