Economic importance of Dalbergia latifolia

Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fabales
Family: Papilionaceae
Genus: Dalbergia
Species: Dalbergia latifolia
Common name: Indian Rosewood
Origin: India

Description: Rosewood is a large deciduous or nearly evergreen tree with a cylindrical, fairly straight bole and a broad rounded crown. The bark is fairly thin, grey, with irregular short cracks, exfoliated and thin, fibrous, longitudinal flakes, leaves are imparipinnate, base cuneate, elliptic, ovate and leathery. Flowers  white, found in axils of much branched panicles.

Economic Importance:

• Indian rosewood is ranked among the finest wood for furniture, cabinet work, decorative objects, musical instruments, religious artefacts, etc.
• It is also a valuable, decorative wood suitable for carving and for ornamental   plywood and veneers. It is especially useful for patter making, calico printing blocks, mathematical instruments and screws. It is also used for gun carriage wheels, ammunition boxes, pulleys, handles, decorative carriage parts, boat-knees, agricultural implements, combs, etc.
• Carefully selected and manufactured Indian rosewood, plyboards, satisfy aircraft specifications.
• The logs and tops can be used for fuel- wood. The calorific value of the sap-wood is around 5159 kcal, heart-wood is 5049 kcal/kg.