Uses
- Aniba rosodora is a species of Magnoliid tree in the Lauraceae family .It grows in parts of the tropical rain-forest of South America. It is an endangered species that sees exploitation for its essential oil.
- The plant is one of the commercially important sources of rosewood oil. The tree is collected in the wild. After felling, the trees are cut into one–meter long logs which are taken to the riverbank and stockpiled there. When river levels are high enough, the logs are floated downriver to a distillery. Because of the remoteness and difficulty of travel in the Amazon, distilleries are often mobile, movable by raft. When they arrive at the distillery, the logs are chipped and then steam distilled.
- Each tree yields about 1% oil by weight of wood. Most worldwide production comes from Brazil; since the 1960s, other areas produce only a minor, insignificant amount. Trees are taken from near the Amazon and its tributaries.[3]
- Rosewood oil is a valuable essential oil, especially in perfumery. It contains the substance linalool, which has a number of uses. The wood may be utilized by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin for the purposes of making canoes, but this is a minor use. In addition, old chips are used as fuel to run the distilleries. Since the name Rosewood can be used for very distinctive kinds of timber, South American Rosewood, a different species, especially Brazilian (Dalbergia nigra), also known as Jacaranda, is the most desirable tonewood for acoustic guitars and other instruments. The Aniba rosodora is known as Pau-Rosa in Brazil. The supply of this wood was greatly overused in the past and it now is as difficult to legally trade as elephant ivory
Other Names
- Its common names are Brazilian rosewood and rosewood tree.