Індійський палісандр

The trees called blackwood

Dalbergia latifolia is a timber species also known as Indian rosewood, and Bombay blackwood is one of its English names. It is native to low-elevation tropical monsoon forests of south east India. The tree grows to 40 metres in height.

Acacia melanoxylon, commonly known as blackwood or Tasmanian blackwood, is a species of flowering plant endemic to south-eastern Australia. Dalbergia melanoxylon, called African blackwood, grenadilla or mpingo, is native to seasonally dry regions of Africa.

The wood

The wood of Dalbergia latifolia is hard, durable and heavy, and resists rot and insects when properly cured. It is used in premium furniture making and cabinetry, guitar bodies and fretboards, exotic veneers, carvings, boats and skis.

The heartwood of Acacia melanoxylon is golden to dark brown with chocolate growth rings. The timber is valued as a decorative wood and may be used in cabinets, musical instruments and boatbuilding. The name of the wood may refer to dark stains on the hands of woodworkers, caused by the high levels of tannin in the timber.

The dense, lustrous wood of African blackwood ranges in colour from reddish to pure black. African blackwood is used mainly for its machinability, density, dimensional stability and moisture repellence, and these properties are particularly valued in woodwind instruments, principally clarinets, oboes, transverse flutes, piccolos, recorders, Highland pipes and Northumbrian pipes. In woodturning it keeps a fine edge without splintering because of its hardness and density, though it dulls tools considerably faster than other woods.

Conservation and trade

Dalbergia latifolia has the IUCN conservation status Vulnerable. Under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 the exportation of lumber products from wild harvested D. latifolia is illegal.

All Dalbergia species are protected under CITES. All but Dalbergia nigra are in Appendix II, and Dalbergia nigra is in Appendix I. Dalbergia species are notorious for causing allergic reactions because of sensitizing quinones in the wood.