Purpleheart

Purpleheart

Taxobox
name = Purpleheart


image_width = 210px
image_caption = "Peltogyne paniculata"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Fabales
familia = Fabaceae
subfamilia = Caesalpinioideae
tribus = Detarieae
genus = "Peltogyne"
genus_authority = Vogel
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text

:"For other meanings see Purple Heart (disambiguation)"

Purpleheart ("Peltogyne") is a genus of 23 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to tropical regions of Central and South America, where they occur in tropical rainforest.

They are medium-sized to large trees growing to 30-50 m tall, with trunk diameters of up to 1.5 m. The leaves are alternate, divided into a symmetrical pair of large leaflets 5-10 cm long and 2-4 cm broad. The flowers are small, with five white petals, produced in panicles. The fruit is a pod containing a single seed.

Wood

The trees are prized for their beautiful heartwood which, when cut, quickly turns from a dark brown to a rich purple color. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light darkens the wood to a brown color with a slight hue of the original purple. This effect can be minimized with a finish containing a UV inhibitor. The dry wood is very hard and dense with a specific gravity of 0.86 (54 lb/ft^3 or 860 kg/m^3). This wood is quite dense, and if it is to be worked, then a sharp carbide blade is required to cut it. For uses of this wood it is prized for fine inlay work, woodturning, cabinetry, and furniture. The dust can cause nausea.Fact|date=September 2007 The wood is also known as amaranth and violet wood. Overharvesting has caused several species to become endangered in areas where they were once abundant.Fact|date=October 2007

pecies

*"Peltogyne altissima" Ducke
*"Peltogyne angustiflora" Ducke
*"Peltogyne campestris" Ducke
*"Peltogyne catingae" Ducke
*"Peltogyne confertiflora" (Hayne) Benth.
*"Peltogyne discolor" Vogel
*"Peltogyne excelsa" Ducke
*"Peltogyne floribunda" (Kunth) Pittier
*"Peltogyne gracilipes" Ducke
*"Peltogyne heterophylla" M.F.Silva
*"Peltogyne lecointei" Ducke
*"Peltogyne maranhensis" Ducke
*"Peltogyne mattosiana" Rizzini
*"Peltogyne mexicana" Martinez
*"Peltogyne paniculata" Benth.
*"Peltogyne paradoxa" Ducke
*"Peltogyne parvifolia" Benth.
*"Peltogyne pauciflora" Benth.
*"Peltogyne prancei" M.F.Silva
*"Peltogyne purpurea" Pittier
*"Peltogyne recifensis" Ducke
*"Peltogyne subsessilis" W.A.Rodrigues
*"Peltogyne venosa" (M.Vahl) Benth.

References

* [http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?version~10.01&LegumeWeb&genus~Peltogyne&species~% International Legume Database: "Peltogyne"]
* [http://www.bio.uu.nl/~herba/Guyana/VTGG/Fabaceae/Peltogyne/ Virtual Flora of Guyana: "Peltogyne" herbarium photos]
* [http://darnis.inbio.ac.cr/FMPro?-DB=UBIpub.fp3&-lay=WebAll&-Format=/ubi/detail.html&-Op=bw&id=2144&-Find Especies de Costa Rica: "Peltogyne purpurea"] (in Spanish)
* [http://www.iwokrama.org/newsletter/dec05/images/en_purpletree.jpgPhoto]
* cite book
last = Baker
first = Mark
year = 2004
title = "Wood for Woodturners"
publisher = Guild of Master Craftsmen Publications
location = Sussex
id = ISBN 1-86108-324-6


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Purpleheart — Pur ple*heart , n. (Bot.) A strong, durable, and elastic wood of a purplish color, obtained from several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus {Copaifera} ({Copaifera pubiflora}, {Copaifera bracteata}, and {Copaifera officinalis}). Used …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • purpleheart — raudonasis skydenis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Cezalpinijinių šeimos medieninis augalas (Peltogyne paniculata), paplitęs Pietų Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Peltogyne paniculata angl. purpleheart šaltinis Valstybinės lietuvių kalbos… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • purpleheart — noun Date: 1796 a strong durable purplish wood that is obtained from various leguminous trees (genus Peltogyne) of Central and South America; also a tree producing such wood …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • purpleheart — /perr peuhl hahrt /, n. the hard, purplish wood of any of several South American trees belonging to the genus Peltogyne, of the legume family, used for making furniture. [1790 1800; PURPLE + HEART] * * * …   Universalium

  • purpleheart — noun a) A large tropical tree, of the genus Peltogyne, native to parts of South America and the West Indies b) The purplish heartwood of this tree, used to make furniture …   Wiktionary

  • purpleheart — pur•ple•heart [[t]ˈpɜr pəlˌhɑrt[/t]] n. bot the hard purplish wood of any of several South American trees belonging to the genus Peltogyne, of the legume family, used for making furniture • Etymology: 1790–1800 …   From formal English to slang

  • purpleheart — ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun : a strong durable elastic purplish timber that is obtained in tropical America from leguminous trees of the genus Peltogyne (especially P. purpurea) and that is used especially in fancy veneers * * * /perr peuhl hahrt /, n.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Copaifera bracteata — Purpleheart Pur ple*heart , n. (Bot.) A strong, durable, and elastic wood of a purplish color, obtained from several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus {Copaifera} ({Copaifera pubiflora}, {Copaifera bracteata}, and {Copaifera… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Copaifera officinalis — Purpleheart Pur ple*heart , n. (Bot.) A strong, durable, and elastic wood of a purplish color, obtained from several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus {Copaifera} ({Copaifera pubiflora}, {Copaifera bracteata}, and {Copaifera… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Copaifera pubiflora — Purpleheart Pur ple*heart , n. (Bot.) A strong, durable, and elastic wood of a purplish color, obtained from several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus {Copaifera} ({Copaifera pubiflora}, {Copaifera bracteata}, and {Copaifera… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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