Rosewood is any of a number of richly huedhardwoods, often brownish with darker veining, but found in other colours.[1] It is hard, tough, strong, and dense. True rosewoods come from trees of the genusDalbergia, but other woods are often called rosewood. Rosewood takes a high polish and is used for luxuryfurniture-making,flooring,musical instruments, andturnery.
Genuine rosewoods belong to thegenusDalbergia. The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated in the Western world is the wood ofDalbergia nigra.[2] It is best known as "Brazilian rosewood",[3] but also as "Bahia rosewood". This wood has a strong, sweet smell, which persists for many years, explaining the namerosewood.[4][5]Another classic rosewood comes fromDalbergia latifolia, known as (East) Indian rosewood orsonokeling (Indonesia). It is native to India and is also grown in plantations elsewhere inPakistan (Chiniot).
Madagascar rosewood (Dalbergia maritima), known asbois de rose, is highly prized for its red color. It isoverexploited in the wild, despite a 2010 moratorium on trade andillegal logging, which continues on a large scale.[6]
Throughout southeast Asia,Dalbergia oliveri is harvested for use in woodworking. It has a very fragrant and dense grain near the core, but the outer sapwood is soft and porous.Dalbergia cultrata,[7] variegated burgundy to light brown in color, is a blackwood timber sold as Burmese rosewood. Products built with rosewood-basedengineered woods are sold as 'Malaysian rosewood' or asD. oliveri.[citation needed]
Some rosewood comes fromDalbergia retusa, also known as 'Nicaraguan rosewood' or ascocobolo.[8] Several species are known as Guatemalan rosewood or Panama rosewood:D. tucerencis,D. tucarensis, andD. cubiquitzensis.[9][10] Honduran rosewood,D. stevensonii[11] is used for marimba keys, guitar parts, clarinets and other musical and ornamental applications.[12]
Not all species in the large genusDalbergia yield rosewoods; only about a dozen species do. The woods of some other species in the genusDalbergia are notable—even famous—woods in their own right:African blackwood,kingwood, andBrazilian tulipwood.
Some species becomecanopy trees (up to 30 m high),[13] and large pieces can occasionally be found in the trade.[citation needed]
The timber trade sells many timbers under the name 'rosewood' (usually with an adjective) due to some (outward) similarities. A fair number of these timbers come from otherlegume genera; one such species that is often mentioned is BolivianMachaerium scleroxylon sold as 'Bolivian rosewood'. Another that may be found in market fromSoutheast Asia isPterocarpus indicus, sold as 'New Guinea rosewood' (and related species).Dalbergia sissoo is a rosewood species from India and Bangladesh, usually known assheesham or North-Indian rosewood. Its timber is extremely dense and has mild rot resistance but is porous, and its exterior is soft and susceptible to wood-boring insects. It is used for making cabinets and flooring, and for carving. It is exported as quality veneers. Due to its after-work quality when sealed and dyed, it is often sold as genuine rosewood or asteak. It has no discernible qualities of a genuine rosewood. Its strength is comparable with teak, but it has lower quality and price than teak orDalbergia latifolia.[citation needed]
Although its wood bears no resemblance whatsoever to the true rosewoods, the Australian rose mahogany (Didymocheton fraserianus, familyMeliaceae) and Australian blackwood, (Acacia melanoxylon) are also sold as rosewood.Acacia excelsa is also commonly known as ironwood or rosewood.[14] Australian rose mahogany, due to the strong smell of roses from freshly cut bark, is more mistakenly termed a "rosewood".[15]
Rosewood oil, used inperfume, is extracted from the wood ofAniba rosaeodora, which is not related to the rosewoods used for lumber. Rosewood is also used for bracelets and necklaces.
Rosewood dust from sanding is asensitizing irritant and can cause respiratory issues like asthma. Repeated exposure increases sensitivity, leading to chronic respiratory problems and potential allergic reactions. Proper safety measures are essential to minimize risks.[16]
In general, world stocks are poor throughoverexploitation.[17] Rosewood is now protected worldwide. At a summit of the international wildlife trade in South Africa, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) moved to protect the world's most trafficked wild product by placing all 300 species of the rosewood tree under trade restrictions.[18] At CITES meetings in 2013, 2016, and 2019, additional rosewood species were listed for protection, triggering market booms in China.[19][20] China's demand for rosewood has incentivized illegal logging in Africa.[21]
Media related toRosewood at Wikimedia Commons
