Verniciflua

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of insect whose larvae are known for producing a silky material typically used in a variety of applications
2. Referring to organisms that may secrete or produce a substance similar to varnish, often for protective purposes
3. Describing biological species that generate a coating or film, particularly those involved in silk production or similar processes

Etymology: "Verniciflua" is the species epithet of the lacquer tree, Toxicodendron vernicifluum, and its parts are easy to read. The Latin "vernix" meant a varnish or glossy coating, and "fluus" comes from "fluere," to flow, so the whole thing means something like "flowing with varnish." The name describes the sap, which the tree exudes when its bark is cut and which darkens on exposure to air into a hard, glossy finish. That sap has been used for thousands of years. In East Asia it was worked into lacquerware for furniture, bowls and boxes, and the same resin lies behind the glossy surfaces of many traditional Japanese and Chinese objects. The tree is a relative of poison ivy and poison oak, and its sap can cause a severe skin reaction in people sensitive to it, so the lacquer must be prepared with care before it is applied.

Synonyms: Chinese lacquer tree, lacquer tree, Toxicodendron vernicifluum