The name “Jamaica” comes from the Arawak Indian word “Xaymaca.” The Taino people, who are believed to be of Arawak origin, were the original settlers of the island, and in their language, Xaymaca means land of wood and water. Many different kinds of trees and plants thrive in Jamaica. One particular tree, known as the Lignum Vitae Tree, bears Jamaica’s national flower. Its wood is extremely hard and so dense that it does not float!
The rivers that run through the island are truly what the Arawak Indians must have been thinking of when they named the island. The rivers flow through the mountainous terrain and form such amazing waterfalls that tourists flock to the island just to enjoy them.
http://www.negrilhotels.com/blog/2014/02/jamaica-land-of-wood-and-water/