Rosewood
a valuable wood, the best of which comes from Brazil. Two kinds, or two qualities, are known in commerce.
These much resemble each other, the one, which is usually rather the better figured of the two, coming from Rio de Janeiro, the other from Bahia. Three wellknown Indian species of this genus are called respectively, Dallergia latifolia, D. sissoo, and D. cultrata, all of which, except that they want the dark blotchy veining, closely resemble the Brazilian rosewoods. They are all rich in resinous coloring matter, and all except D. latifolia, which is slightly lighter, have a specific gravity ranging between .900 and 1.000, so that they just float in water. Since at least 1830 the D. latifolia has been known in England as Indian rosewood. The South American and Indian kinds named above are all hard and durable and take a fine polish. The Indian rosewood is often elaborately carved by native workmen, and for this purpose it is well suited. An inferior kind of rosewood is brought from Honduras. The name is said to have been given because of a striking rose-like odor that the wood gives out when freshly cut.