| Dalbergia baronii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Dalbergia |
| Species: | D. baronii |
| Binomial name | |
| Dalbergia baronii Baker. | |
Dalbergia baronii [2] is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is endemic to Madagascar. [3] It is named after the English missionary and botanist Rev. Richard Baron.
Dalbergia baronii is a shrub to large tree. The leaves are imparipinnate, 3–7.5 cm long, and have a hairy rachis. The 19–25 alternate leaflets are 0.5–2 cm long, mostly glabrous and glossy above, and with dense and long hairs beneath. [3]
It forms axillary inflorescences that are paniculate and distinctively shorter than the subtending leaves. The flowers are white, 4–5 mm long, and have a violin-shaped standard petal and pubescent gynoecium. The fruits usually contain one seed (rarely up to three seeds). The pericarp is "indistinctly veined, slightly thickened, corky and fissured over the seed". [3]
Dalbergia baronii inhabits evergreen lowland forests, marshes and mangrove stands along the East coast of Madagascar. [3] It occurs from sea level up to 150 m, rarely up to an elevation of 600 m. [3]
It produces a durable, black-striped heartwood [4] that is locally used for cabinet making, furniture and marquetry. [3] It was internationally traded, notably to produce guitar bodies and fingerboards, [4] amongst others.
The IUCN Red List lists Dalbergia baronii as vulnerable. [5] Its natural stands have drastically declined in response to both habitat loss and selective logging. [6] The natural habitat of Dalbergia baronii is among the most threatened Malagasy habitats. [7]
Due to overexploitation and the risk of confusion with similar species, Dalbergia baronii and other Dalbergia species from Madagascar were listed in CITES Appendix II [8] in 2013, currently with a zero export quota. [9]
