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Pterocarpus

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Pterocarpus
Pterocarpus santalinus seed pods
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Dalbergieae
Genus: Pterocarpus
Jacq. (1763), nom. cons.
Species

See text

Synonyms[1]
  • Amphymenium Kunth (1824)
  • Ancylocalyx Tul. (1843)
  • Echinodiscus Benth. (1837)
  • Etaballia Benth. (1840)
  • Griselinia Scop. (1777), nom. superfl.
  • Lingoum Adans. (1763), nom. superfl.
  • Malaparius Rumph. ex Bosc (1803)
  • Moutouchi Aubl. (1775)
  • Nephraea Hassk. (1844)
  • Nephrea Noronha (1790), nom. nud.
  • Phellocarpus Benth. (1837)
  • Pterocarpos St.-Lag. (1880)
  • Pterocarpus L. (1754), nom. rej.
  • Weinreichia Rchb. (1828)
Wood of P. officinalis

Pterocarpus is a pantropical tree genus in the Fabaceae family. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae, and was recently assigned to the informal monophyletic Pterocarpus clade within the Dalbergieae.[2][3] Most species of Pterocarpus yield valuable timber traded as padauk (or padouk), usually pronounced /pəˈduːk/ or /ˈpædˌoʊk/;[4] other common names are mukwa or narra.

The west African species may be traded as African rosewood.[5] P. santalinus also yields the most precious red sandalwood in China known as Zitan.[6][7] The wood from the narra tree (P. indicus) and the Burmese padauk tree (P. macrocarpus) is marketed as amboyna when it has grown in the burl form.[8] The scientific name is Latinized Ancient Greek and means "wing fruit", referring to the unusual shape of the seed pods in this genus.

Uses

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Padauk wood is obtained from several species of Pterocarpus. All padauks are of African or Asian origin. Padauks are valued for their toughness, stability in use, and decorativeness, most having a reddish wood. Most Pterocarpus[9] woods contain either water- or alcohol-soluble substances and can be used as dyes.

The padauk found most often is African padauk from P. soyauxii which, when freshly cut, is a very bright red/orange but when exposed to sunlight fades over time to a warm brown. Its colour makes it a favourite among woodworkers. Burmese padauk (ပိတောက်) is P. macrocarpus while Andaman padauk is P. dalbergioides. Padauks can be confused with true rosewoods to which they are somewhat related, but as a general rule padauks are coarser and less decorative in figure. Like rosewood, padauk is sometimes used to make xylophone, organ and marimba keys, and guitars. It is an important material in traditional Chinese furniture.

African padauk wood

Some padauks, e.g. P. soyauxii, are used as herbal medicines, for example to treat skin parasites and fungal infections.[10] Padauk wood is also used as a spice, for example in Swedish soused herring.[11]

Chemistry

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Pterocarpin is a pterocarpan found in Pterocarpus spp.[12]

Species

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A total of 35 species is currently accepted:[13][14]

Notes

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1 Some sources treat P. echinatus as a synonym of P. indicus.

References

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  1. ^ Pterocarpus Jacq. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  2. ^ Lavin M, Pennington RT, Klitgaard BB, Sprent JI, de Lima HC, Gasson PE (2001). "The dalbergioid legumes (Fabaceae): delimitation of a pantropical monophyletic clade". Am J Bot. 88 (3): 503–33. doi:10.2307/2657116. JSTOR 2657116. PMID 11250829.
  3. ^ Cardoso D, Pennington RT, de Queiroz LP, Boatwright JS, Van Wyk BE, Wojciechowskie MF, Lavin M (2013). "Reconstructing the deep-branching relationships of the papilionoid legumes". S Afr J Bot. 89: 58–75. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2013.05.001. hdl:10566/3193.
  4. ^ "African Padauk | The Wood Database (Hardwood)". www.wood-database.com. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  5. ^ The Rosewood Trade: An Illicit Trail from Forest to Furniture Authors: Sandy Ong / Andy Carver, Date: 29 January 2019, URL: https://e360.yale.edu/features/the-rosewood-trade-the-illicit-trail-from-forest-to-furniture (Yale School of Environment)
  6. ^ "Zitan | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwood)". www.wood-database.com. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Chinese National Standard for Rosewood Furniture - QB/T 2385-2008" (PDF). 3 July 2024.
  8. ^ Meier E. "The Wood Database".
  9. ^ "Narra". OneToTree. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  10. ^ "AgroForestryTree Database entry for Pterocarpus soyauxii". AgroForestryTree Database. World Agroforestry Centre (WAC). Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  11. ^ "Bohusmatjes". Abba. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2024. Ingredienser: Sill i bitar, socker, salt, kryddor (bland andra kanel, muskotblomma, padoukträ) [Ingredients: Herring in pieces, sugar, salt, spices (among others cinnamon, mace, padauk wood)]
  12. ^ "Pterocarpin at knapsack_jsp". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  13. ^ "ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for Pterocarpus". International Legume Database & Information Service. Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  14. ^ USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program. "GRIN species records of Pterocarpus". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
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Media related to Pterocarpus at Wikimedia Commons

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