35- LEGUMINOS^ YIELDING WOOD FOR 



Herminiera elaphroxylon (Tree) --The wood of this tree is porous, 

 and much lighter than cork. Fishermen use it for making floats for 

 their nets. 



Indigofera (Shrub). — Use is made of the wood of a few of the indigo 

 plants in India. The wood of the shrub is generally hard and white 

 in colour with a black heart-wood. The species are Indigofera heter- 

 antha, I. hebepetala^ I. fulchclla. I. stacliyodes yields a hard wood 

 of marbled yellowish-brown colour. 



Lespedeza eriocarpa (Shruo).— An erect shrub with a hard wood in 

 which the sap-wood is yellow and the heart-wood red. 



Lonchocarpus oxycarpus (Tree).— A species which is very common 

 in Martinique. It yields a good wood for building, carriage work and 

 marquetry. There is also an undetermmed species of Loncliocar-piis 

 which is called savonnette blanche- 



Lonchocarpus sericeus (Tree). --In Senegal this tree is regarded as 

 one of the most valuable species. The wood is finely grained, hard 

 and compact, and takes a fine polish. It resembles satin-wood and 

 is used for turned work and cabinet-making. According to Lanessan, 

 it is found throughout Cazamance and Gaboon. 



Machaerium Allemani (Tree).— This tree yields one of the varieties 

 of Brazilian palisander wood. The wood is pale red with a few darker 

 veins; it is compact, hard, and resembles rose-wood. 



Machaerium Schomburgkii (Tree).— This variety is known in Guiana 

 as Bois dc Icttres inarbre. The wood is hard, heavy, and particularly 

 suitable for cabinet-making. It also goes by the name of Tiger-wood. 



In Brazil several species of Macliscriinn yield woods suitable for 

 cabinet-making, building purposes, &c. ; M . leucofternni (spiny jaca- 

 randa) ; /!/. firnnun (purple jacaranda); .1/. aitriculatuni (pau de moco) ; 

 M . violaccuiii (violet jacaranda). 



Myroxyion peruiferum (Tree).— The wood of this tree is used for 

 building purposes in Brazil, and is also utilized in many other ways. 

 Its popular name is the Olco rouge. 



MJlletJa (Tree). — There are some species of Milletia in India which 

 produce woods used for commercial purj^oses in that country. Milletia 

 ■pulchra is a tree with a hard, light-brown close-grained wood. The 

 wood of another species, .1/. pendula, is hard, nicely figured, and 

 purplish-black in colour. 



The remainder are climbing plants : e.g., M . raceniosa^ a light- 

 brown wood with a red centre, and .1/. auricidata^ yielding a white 

 wood. 



Mundulea subcrosa (Tree). -A small tree with a hard, close-grained 

 wood. Colour yellow, the heart-wood darker. Used in India and has 

 a considerable resemblance to satin-wood. 



Myroxylon peruiferum (Tree).— The wood is used in Brazil for 

 building and other pur]:)oses. 



