As recorded for Kala-Shisham
Dalbergia latifolia
Kala-Shisham / East Indian Rosewood काला शीशम
Hindi name · See all regional names ↓
Also known as Black Rosewood, Bombay Black Wood, Indonesian Rosewood, Malabar Rosewood
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra & more
- Flowering
- July-February
Kala-Shisham in regional languages
Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.
| Language | Regional script | Recorded Latin spelling |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | काला शीशम · विलायती शीशम | Kala-shisham, Vilayati shisham, Shisham, beete |
| Nepali | सतिसाल | Satisal |
| Tamil | நூக்கம் · தோதகத்தி | nukkam, totakatti |
| Telugu | ఇరుగుడు · జిట్టేగి | Iruguducheva |
| Kannada | ಬೀಟೆ · ಇಬಡಿ · ಇಬಟಿ | Beete, Ibadi, Ibati |
| Malayalam | ഈട്ടി · കരിവീട്ടി · വീട്ടി | Itti, Karivittti, Viitti |
| Marathi | काळारुख · शिसव · शिसम | Kalarukh, Sisau |
See the original recorded 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
Ecology & growing context
- Native status · Kew WCVP
- WCVP native range includes Andaman Is., India, West Himalaya Kew dataset ↗
Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Indian Subcontinent to Myanmar, Andaman Is., Jawa.
- Recorded habitat
- Dry and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
- Explore nearby plants
- Tamil Nadu →Karnataka →Maharashtra →
Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.
How to identify Kala-Shisham
Identify Kala-Shisham by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Valuable dark rosewood timber.
- Confirm leaf type: Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk).
- Confirm leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless).
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: July-February.
- In India, compare location records such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and nearby regions.
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, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh
- Flowering & fruiting
- July-February
- Conservation status
- Vulnerable (VU)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)recorded
- Leaf surface
- Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kala-Shisham itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Raceme
- Fruit
- Legume
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kala-Shisham itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only.
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.
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
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guidesMore in Fabaceae
View all FabaceaeSources: GBIF — Dalbergia latifolia (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Dalbergia latifolia (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)