Pterocarpus

thumb|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. other common names are Mukwa (Africa) or Narra (Asia).

The west African species may be traded as African rosewood. P. santalinus also yields the most precious red sandalwood in China known as Zitan. 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. The scientific name is Latinized Ancient Greek and means "wing fruit", referring to the unusual shape of the seed pods in this genus.

Uses

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 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.

thumb|African padauk wood

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

Chemistry

Pterocarpin is a pterocarpan found in Pterocarpus spp.

Species

A total of 35 species is currently accepted:

<!-- Pterocarpus abyssinicus was reclassified as Pterocarpus lucens. -->

• Pterocarpus acapulcensis <small>Rose</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus advenus was reclassified as Pterocarpus dalbergioides. -->

• Pterocarpus albopubescens <small>Hauman</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus amazonicus was reclassified as Pterocarpus santalinoides. -->

• Pterocarpus amazonum <small>(Benth.) Amshoff</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus amphymenium was reclassified as Pterocarpus orbiculatus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus ancylocalyx was reclassified as Pterocarpus amazonum. -->

• Pterocarpus angolensis <small>DC.</small>—kiaat
• Pterocarpus antunesii <small>(Taub.) Harms</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus apalatoa was reclassified as Pterocarpus rohrii. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus aphyllus was reclassified as Pterocarpus orbiculatus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus aptera was reclassified as Machaerium lunatum. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus ateleia was reclassified as Ateleia pterocarpa. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus australis was reclassified as Callerya australis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus belizensis was reclassified as Pterocarpus officinalis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus bilobus was reclassified as Pterocarpus marsupium. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus blancoi was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

• Pterocarpus brenanii <small>Barbosa & Torre</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus cambodianus was reclassified as Pterocarpus macrocarpus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus carolinensis was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus casteelsii was reclassified as Pterocarpus tessmannii. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus chrysothrix was reclassified as Pterocarpus tinctorius. -->

• Pterocarpus claessensii <small>De Wild.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus crispatus was reclassified as Pterocarpus officinalis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus cultratus was reclassified as Lonchocarpus cultratus. -->

• Pterocarpus dalbergioides <small>DC.</small>—Andaman padauk, Andaman redwood, East Indian mahogany

<!-- Pterocarpus dekindtianus was reclassified as Pterocarpus angolensis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus diadelphous is a misspelling of Pterocarpus diadelphus, which was reclassified as Aganope heptaphylla. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus diadelphus was reclassified as Aganope heptaphylla. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus draco was reclassified as Pterocarpus officinalis. -->

• Pterocarpus dubius – Venezuela, Guyana, and northern Brazil

<!-- Pterocarpus ecastaphyllum was reclassified as Dalbergia ecastaphyllum. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus echinata was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

• Pterocarpus echinatus <small>Pers.</small>
• Pterocarpus erinaceus <small>Poir.</small>—muninga, barwood, vène

<!-- Pterocarpus esculentus was reclassified as Pterocarpus santalinoides. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus falcatus was reclassified as Poecilanthe falcata. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus flavus was reclassified as Pongamia pinnata. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus floribundus was reclassified as Pterocarpus rohrii. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus frutescens was reclassified as Dalbergia frutescens and Derris trifoliata. -->

• Pterocarpus gilletii <small>De Wild.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus glaucinus was reclassified as Pterocarpus macrocarpus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus gracilis was reclassified as Pterocarpus macrocarpus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus grandis was reclassified as Pterocarpus santalinoides. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus gummifera is a misspelling of Pterocarpus gummifer, which was reclassified as Ateleia gummifera. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus gummifer was reclassified as Ateleia gummifera. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus hayesii was reclassified as Pterocarpus rohrii. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus hemipterus was reclassified as Pterocarpus officinalis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus heterophyllus was reclassified as Pterocarpus acapulcensis. -->

• Pterocarpus hockii <small>De Wild.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus holtzii was reclassified as Pterocarpus tinctorius. -->

• Pterocarpus homblei <small>De Wild.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus hygrophilus was reclassified as Dalbergia hygrophila. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus indica is a misspelling of Pterocarpus indicus. -->

• Pterocarpus indicus <small>Willd.</small>—Pashu padauk, Malay padauk, New Guinea rosewood

<!-- Pterocarpus klemmei was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus kuhlmanni was reclassified as Paramachaerium schomburgkii. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus leucens was reclassified as Pterocarpus lucens. -->

• Pterocarpus lucens <small>Guill. & Perr.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus lunatus was reclassified as Machaerium lunatum. -->

• Pterocarpus macrocarpus <small>Kurz</small>—Burmese padauk

<!-- Pterocarpus magnicarpus was reclassified as Pterocarpus rohrii. -->

• Pterocarpus marsupium <small>Roxb.</small>—Indian kino, Malabar kino, benga, bijiayasal (w Nepal), venkai

<!-- Pterocarpus martinii was reclassified as Pterocarpus rotundifolius. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus megalocarpus was reclassified as Pterocarpus tinctorius. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus michelii was reclassified as Pterocarpus santalinoides. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus microcarpus was reclassified as Ateleia microcarpa. -->

• Pterocarpus mildbraedii <small>Harms</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus minimus was reclassified as Pterocarpus acapulcensis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus moutouchi was reclassified as Pterocarpus officinalis. -->

• Pterocarpus mutondo <small>De Wild.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus niger was reclassified as Dalbergia nigra. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus obtusatus was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

• Pterocarpus officinalis <small>Jacq.</small>
• Pterocarpus orbiculatus <small>DC.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus ormosioides was reclassified as Paramachaerium ormosioides. -->

• Pterocarpus osun <small>Craib</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus pallidus was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus papuanus was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus parvifolius was reclassified as Pterocarpus macrocarpus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus pedatus was reclassified as Pterocarpus macrocarpus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus plumieri was reclassified as Dalbergia monetaria. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus podocarpus was reclassified as Pterocarpus acapulcensis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus polyanthus was reclassified as Pterocarpus rotundifolius. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus pubescens was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus and Pterocarpus orbiculatus. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus quercinus was reclassified as Dalbergia monetaria. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus reticulatus was reclassified as Pterocarpus rohrii. -->

• Pterocarpus rohrii <small>Vahl</small>
• Pterocarpus rotundifolius <small>(Sond.) Druce</small>
• subsp. polyanthus <small>(Harms) Mendonça & E. P. Sousa</small>
• var. martinii <small>(Dunkley) Mendonça & E. P. Sousa</small>
• var. polyanthus <small>(Harms) Mendonça & E. P. Sousa</small>
• subsp. rotundifolius <small>(Sond.) Druce</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus rufescens was reclassified as Pterocarpus rohrii. -->

• Pterocarpus santalinoides <small>DC.</small>—mututi
• Pterocarpus santalinus <small>L. f.</small>—red sandalwood, red sanders

<!-- Pterocarpus sapindoides was reclassified as Andira sapindoides. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus sericeus was reclassified as Pterocarpus rotundifolius. -->

• Pterocarpus soyauxii <small>Taub.</small>—African padauk, African coralwood

<!-- Pterocarpus steinbachianus was reclassified as Pterocarpus rohrii. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus stolzii was reclassified as Pterocarpus tinctorius. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus suberosus was reclassified as Pterocarpus officinalis. -->

• Pterocarpus ternatus <small>Rizzini</small>
• Pterocarpus tessmannii <small>Harms</small>
• Pterocarpus tinctorius <small>Welw.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus ulei was reclassified as Pterocarpus amazonum. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus uliginosus was reclassified as Derris trifoliata. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus usambarensis was reclassified as Pterocarpus mildbraedii. -->

• Pterocarpus velutinus <small>De Wild.</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus vernalis was reclassified as Pterocarpus acapulcensis. -->

<!-- Pterocarpus vidalianus was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

• Pterocarpus villosus <small>(Benth.) Benth.</small>
• Pterocarpus violaceus <small>Vogel</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus wallichii was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

• Pterocarpus zehntneri <small>Harms</small>
• Pterocarpus zenkeri <small>Harms</small>

<!-- Pterocarpus zollingeri was reclassified as Pterocarpus indicus. -->

Notes

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

References

External links