Dalbergia melanoxylon

Dalbergia melanoxylon (African blackwood, grenadilla, or mpingo) in French Granadille d'Afrique is a <a href="/facts/Flowering_plant/E5eGYIvY">flowering plant</a> in the family <a href="/facts/Fabaceae/uxuHNdAr">Fabaceae</a>, native to seasonally dry regions of <a href="/facts/Africa/XkqQUP9s">Africa</a> from <a href="/facts/Senegal/PPaRNYJH">Senegal</a> east to <a href="/facts/Eritrea/tuhgQTdR">Eritrea</a>, to southern regions of <a href="/facts/Tanzania/MJueJ7E4">Tanzania</a> to <a href="/facts/Mozambique/mMWQ80JT">Mozambique</a> and south to the north-eastern parts of <a href="/facts/South_Africa/vvXQpLgq">South Africa</a>. The tree is an important <a href="/facts/Lumber/jJfdSlJ6">timber</a> species in its native areas; it is used <a href="/facts/Tone_wood/w3cQm4YL">in the manufacture of musical instruments</a>, sculptures vinyago in Swahili language and fine furnitures. Populations and genomic resources for genetic biodiversity maintenance in parts of its native range are threatened by <a href="/facts/Overharvesting/35n60afL">overharvesting</a> due to poor or absent conservation planning and by the species' low germination rates.
African blackwood is a small <a href="/facts/Tree/HVVn3srN">tree</a>, reaching 4–15 m tall, with grey <a href="/facts/Bark_(botany)/vdL49ec1">bark</a> and <a href="/facts/Spine_(botany)/gS6HPTqb">spiny</a> shoots. The <a href="/facts/Leaf/1m6wCNTg">leaves</a> are <a href="/facts/Deciduous/7jQHVtdd">deciduous</a> in the <a href="/facts/Dry_season/jjdnthUQ">dry season</a>, alternate, 6–22 cm long, pinnately compound, with 6–9 alternately arranged leaflets. The <a href="/facts/Flower/7gI5Kefw">flowers</a> are white and produced in dense clusters. The <a href="/facts/Fruit/PBpuzk60">fruit</a> is a <a href="/facts/Legume/x6s6gVHY">pod</a> 3–7 cm long, containing one to two <a href="/facts/Seed/a4xGSLxJ">seeds</a>. It is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world.

Dalbergia melanoxylon open-in-new

Dalbergia melanoxylon