What is "bixa orellana"

Rocoa \Ro"coa\, n. [Cf. F. rocou, roicou, Pg. & Braz, uruc['u].] The orange-colored pulp covering the seeds of the tropical plant Bixa Orellana, from which annotto is prepared. See Annoto.

Annotto \An*not"to\ ([a^]n*n[o^]t"t[-o]), Arnotto \Ar*not"to\ ([aum]r*n[o^]t"t[-o]), n. [Perh. the native name.] A red or yellowish-red dyeing material, prepared from the pulp surrounding the seeds of a tree ( Bixa orellana) belonging to the tropical regions of America. It is used for coloring cheese, butter, etc. [Written also Anatto, Anatta, Annatto, Annotta, etc.]

Achiote (Bixa orellana) is a shrub or small tree originating from the tropical region of the Americas. North, Central and South American natives originally used the seeds to make red body paint and lipstick. For this reason, the achiote is sometimes called the lipstick tree.

The tree is best known as the source of annatto, a natural orange-red condiment (also called "achiote" or "bijol") obtained from the waxy arils that cover its seeds. The ground seeds are widely used in traditional dishes in South and Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico; such as cochinita pibil, chicken in achiote and caldo de olla. Annatto and its extracts are also used as an industrial food coloring to add yellow or orange color to many products such as butter, cheese, sausages, cakes, and popcorn.

The species name was given by Linnaeus after the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana, an early explorer of the Amazon River. The name achiote derives from the Nahuatl word for the shrub, āchiotl . It may also be referred to as aploppas, or by its original Tupi name uruku, urucu or urucum ("red color"), which is also used for the body paint prepared from its seeds.