INDIAN ROSEWOOD IN NEWS Recently Rosewood ‘theft’ unearthed in
Wayanad village in Kerala.
Also known as:
Indonesian rosewood, Bombay blackwood, Malabar rosewood, and sitsal.
It is native to India and Indonesia, but is also grown in
Nigeria, Kenya, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other
parts of tropical Africa and Asia as an ornamental plant.
It is well known for producing very hard and durable wood with a
long straight bore, which makes it highly valued on the international market.
It is used for furniture,
plywood, veneer, decorative wood products, construction, musical instruments,
and other wood products.
Its IUCN Red List status is “
vulnerable.”
It is part of
Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals.
D. latifolia logs and sawn timber is
banned from export under the Indian Forest Act.
