See text Carapa is a genus of flowering plants in the mahogany family, Meliaceae.

The name andiroba is from Nheengatu nhandi rob, meaning "bitter oil".

The oil contained in the almond andiroba is light yellow and extremely bitter.

[citation needed] It is also used to repel mosquitoes by forming an oilseed cake into balls and burned, or mixed with annatto (Bixa orellana) and formed into a paste applied topically to protect the body from mosquito bites.

[5] Andiroba oil is extracted from light brown seeds collected from beaches and rivers, where they float after being shed by the trees or from the forest ground.