noun
- Plural of barbasco; tropical plants of the genus Lonchocarpus, native to Central and South America, whose roots contain rotenone and are used as a natural insecticide or fish poison.
Usage: Often used in botanical or ethnobotanical contexts; The singular form is 'barbasco'
Examples
- Indigenous peoples have used barbascos for centuries to stun fish in rivers.
- The roots of barbascos contain natural compounds that are toxic to insects.
- Farmers in tropical regions sometimes employ barbascos as an organic pesticide.
- Barbascos are still harvested in some parts of the Amazon for traditional fishing methods.