Is this the same wood as Sheesham furniture?

Often, yes — 'Sheesham' is used loosely for several Dalbergia timbers in the Indian furniture trade, including both this species and the related Dalbergia sissoo.

Why is old-growth rosewood scarce?

It's a slow-growing tree, and decades of harvesting for its valuable timber have made large, mature trees increasingly rare in the wild, leading to trade restrictions in some regions.

✿Fabaceae · Dalbergia

Kala-Shisham / East Indian Rosewood

Dalbergia latifolia

Also known as Black Rosewood, Bombay Black Wood, Indonesian Rosewood, Malabar Rosewood

Tree

Habit: Tree
Found in India: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra & more
Flowering: July-February

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Plant Details

Scientific name: Dalbergia latifolia
Genus: Dalbergia
Family: Fabaceae
Habit: Tree
Habitat: Dry and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
Habitat type: Forest
Native to: India
Distribution: India, Nepal, Andama Islands (India), Malay peninsula, Indonesia, Himalayas, China, Malaysia
Found in India: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, Rajasthan
Flowering & fruiting: July-February
Conservation status: Vulnerable (VU)

Leaf characters

Arrangement: Alternate
Type: Compound
Margin: Entire
Venation: Pinnate

Typical of the Fabaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower symmetry: Bilateral
Inflorescence: Raceme
Fruit: Legume

Typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.

Local Names

Hindi: काला शीशम Kala-shisham, विलायती शीशम Vilayati shisham, Shisham, beete
Nepali: सतिसाल Satisal, सतिसाल
Tamil: நூக்கம் nukkam, தோதகத்தி totakatti
Telugu: Iruguducheva, ఇరుగుడు, జిట్టేగి
Kannada: ಬೀಟೆ Beete, ಇಬಡಿ Ibadi, ಇಬಟಿ Ibati
Malayalam: ഈട്ടി Itti, കരിവീട്ടി Karivittti, വീട്ടി Viitti
Marathi: काळारुख Kalarukh, शिसव Sisau, शिसम

Kala-Shisham in India

This tree, known as काला शीशम Kala-shisham (Hindi), நூக்கம் nukkam (Tamil), Iruguducheva (Telugu), ಬೀಟೆ Beete (Kannada), ഈട്ടി Itti (Malayalam), काळारुख Kalarukh (Marathi), produces one of India's most valuable timbers. Dalbergia latifolia is found across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, Rajasthan, typically in deciduous forest.

Uses

Its dense, dark, richly grained heartwood — Indian rosewood — is prized for furniture, musical instruments and carving, though overharvesting has made large old-growth trees increasingly scarce.

How to Identify Kala-Shisham

A deciduous tree with pinnately compound leaves made of a few broad, rounded leaflets. Small, pale flowers appear in loose clusters, followed by flat, thin pods each containing one to a few seeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is East Indian Rosewood called in different Indian languages?: काला शीशम Kala-shisham (Hindi); நூக்கம் nukkam (Tamil); Iruguducheva (Telugu); ಬೀಟೆ Beete (Kannada); ഈട്ടി Itti (Malayalam); काळारुख Kalarukh (Marathi).
Is this the same wood as Sheesham furniture?: Often, yes — 'Sheesham' is used loosely for several Dalbergia timbers in the Indian furniture trade, including both this species and the related Dalbergia sissoo.
Why is old-growth rosewood scarce?: It's a slow-growing tree, and decades of harvesting for its valuable timber have made large, mature trees increasingly rare in the wild, leading to trade restrictions in some regions.

Botanical family

Fabaceae

Legume/Bean family

Kala-Shisham belongs to the Fabaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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Sources: GBIF — Dalbergia latifolia (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Dalbergia latifolia (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)