Brazilwood

Paubrasilia echinata is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae, and is endemic to the Atlantic Forest. It is a Brazilian timber tree commonly known as Pernambuco wood or Brazilwood (Portuguese: pau-de-pernambuco, pau-brasil; Tupi Ibirapitanga) and is the national tree of Brazil. This plant has a dense, orange-red heartwood that takes a high shine, and it is the premier wood used for making bows for stringed instruments. The wood also yields a red dye called brazilin, which oxidizes to brazilein. The name pau-brasil was applied to certain species of the genus Caesalpinia in the medieval period, and was given its original scientific binomial name Caesalpinia echinata in 1785 by Lamarck.. More recent taxonomic studies have suggested that it merits recognition as a separate genus, and it was thus suggested to be renamed Paubrasilia echinata in 2016. The name of Brazil is shortened from Terra do Brasil 'land of brazilwood'. When Portuguese explorers found these trees on the coast of South America, they recognised it as a relative of those Asian species of Caesalpinia that were already used in Europe for dye, or Portuguese pau-brasil, or as Sappanwood. The South American trees soon became the better source of red dye. Brazilwood trees were such a large part of the exports and economy of the land that the country which sprang up in that part of the world took its name from them and is now called Brazil. Botanically, several tree species are involved, all in the family Fabaceae (the pulse family). The term 'brazilwood' is most often used to refer to the species Paubrasilia echinata, but it is also applied to other species, such as Caesalpinia sappan and Haematoxylum brasiletto. The tree is also known by other names, as ibirapitanga, Tupi for 'red wood'; or pau de pernambuco, named after the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. In the bow-making business it is usual to refer to some species other than Paubrasilia echinata as 'Brazilwood'; examples include Pink Ipê (Handroanthus impetiginosus), Massaranduba (Manilkara bidentata) and Palo Brasil (Haematoxylum brasiletto). The highly prized Paubrasilia echinata is usually called 'Pernambuco wood' in this particular context. The brazilwood tree may reach up to 15 metres (49 ft) in height, and the dark brown bark flakes in large patches, revealing the lustrous blood-red heartwood underneath. The leaves are pinnate and each consists of between 9 and 19 small, leathery leaflets, which are broadly oblong in shape. The flower stalk, or inflorescence, is also branched and contains between 15 and 40 yellow, strongly perfumed flowers, which may be pollinated by bees. The petals are usually yellow with a blood-red blotch. The fruits are oval-shaped woody seedpods, measuring up to 7.3 centimetres (2.9 in) long and 2.6 centimetres (1.0 in) across; they hang off the branches and after the seeds are expelled, the pods become twisted in shape. The branches, leaves and fruit are covered with small thorns. There are some important differences between geographically distinct populations and it is thought that separate subspecies of the pau brasil may exist. This tree may have some medicinal properties and has been used as an astringent and antidiuretic by local people; extracts have been tested as possible cancer treatments.