Zericote (Cordia Dodecandra) or as the Maya call it, Chakopte, is a versatile tree of Belize
http://yobubba.livejournal.com/77032.html
The species has multiple uses. Its trunk is used as support beams and columns in rural houses. The bark and the wood have medicinal properties; the tea obtained from their infusion is used in traditional medicine to treat coughs and diarrhea. The wood is much sought after for the manufacture of furniture, handicrafts, veneer for plywood, and turned articles. This is because of its unique combination of creamy-yellow sapwood encircling swirls of brown and black grains in the heartwood. The leaves are used as sandpaper and as very effective scouring pads to clean household utensils. The flowers are an excellent source of pollen and nectar for bees; the fruits are edible and are used to make preserves and jams, or to feed animals. The trees are valued as shade and ornamental plants in parks, streets and gardens. And of course, the wood is much sought after by our artists to produce beautiful wood carvings such as the one you bought.

I am a proud owner of a beautiful carved bowl out of Zericote that I purchased years ago in Bomba. Now I have to go retrieve it from the coffee table and dust it