Lonchocarpus violaceus

Lonchocarpus violaceus is a species of evergreen tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to the Caribbean and northern South America.^[1] It has been introduced to Florida.^[2] Its names include lilac tree, greenheart, Spanish ash, and lancepod.^[1]

Lonchocarpus violaceus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Genus:	Lonchocarpus
Species:	L. violaceus
Binomial name
Lonchocarpus violaceus (Jacq.) Kunth
Synonyms
Robinia violaceae Jacq. Dalbergia violaceae (Jacq.) Hoffsgg. Lonchocarpus benthamianus Pittier Lonchocarpus caribaeus Urb.

According to some sources L. violaceus was used by the Maya peoples to produce the alcoholic beverage, balché. It is likely they are actually referring to L. longistylus which was once synonymized with L. violaceus.^[3]