There are at least a dozen species from 8 genera that have pau rosa as all or part of one or more of their common names and I have no idea which of them are represented on this page. Native areas of growth include at least South America, Africa, and parts of Asia for the various species. Clearly the name "pau rosa" is not terribly helpful, but it is a widely used one even if vague about species.
"pau rosa" is Portugese for "rosewood" but only a few of the species that use the name pau rosa are of the genus Dalbergia (the true rosewoods) and one of those is Dalbergia frutescenss which is MUCH more commonly known as Brazilian tulipwood. Clearly there is a LOT of room for confusion with this name.
Two species that are definitlely associated with the common name pau rosa are Bobgunnia fistuloides (synonym Swartzia fistuloides) and Bobgunnia madagascariensis (synonym Swartzia madagascariensis)
my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions
both sides of a sample plank of pao rosa / Swartzia fistuloides --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
both sides of a sample plank of pau rosa / Swartzia fistuloides --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The very slightly richer color on the unlabeled side is due to my having sanded it down to 240 grit (the labeled side is raw).
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of snake bean / Swartzia madagascariensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Swartzia madagascariensis is a synonym for Bobgunnia madagascariensis which does have the common name snake bean but is more commonly called pau rosa.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of snake bean / Swartzia madagascariensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Swartzia madagascariensis is a synonym for Bobgunnia madagascariensis which does have the common name snake bean but is more commonly called pau rosa.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
a plank pic contributed to the site by John Fuher, whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Thanks to John's excellent photography, HUGE enlargements are present for both this and the end grain shots directly below. These pics were taken outside in natural light and had to be color-corrected and I did not see the plank so can't absolutely guarantee the color-correctness of these pics.
two end grain shots of the same plank as directly above
pau rosa veneer pics contributed by Danny Tjan, whom I thank for these and other contributions to the site.
a bowl turned by John from the other half of the plank directly above. As I told John, had I seen this bowl with no informaion, I would have readily bet money that it is pau ferro (Bolivian rosewood) which, as you'll see from the pics on that page of this site, look exactly like this. John tells me that these bowl pics were color corrected and are quite accurate. HUGE enlargement are present.
web pics:
both sides and a closeup of a plank
plank and closeup
planks listed as just "pau rosa"
two views of the same large plank. Correspondant John Furer says he is sure this piece is Machaerium firmum.
plank listed as pau rosa / Machaerium firmum
planks listed as pau rosa / Swartzia fistuloides
planks listed as pau rosa / Swartzia madagascarensis
pair of planks a closeup, listed as pau rosa / Swartzia madagascarensis
bookmatched plank pairs listed as pau rosa / Swartzia madagascarensis
These two plank pics and the pair directly above these are of of recently slabbed planks and were provided by exotic wood importer Patrick Dean, whom I thank for these excellent pics. Both levels of enlargement are provided, so you can really see the grain. Correspondant John Furer says he believes that these are Machaerium firmum.
scales
veneer
pen blanks that have been oiled and waxed and that are from a vendor who makes most of her woods look purple regardless of the actual color of the wood.
pen blanks listed as pau rosa / Swartzia fistuloides
pen blanks listed as just pau rosa
turning stock listed as pau rosa / Swartzia fistuloides
plank and closeup --- I'm confident that the colors on this one are not "suspect" but just flat out fradulent, like many of the pics posted by that vendor
more planks by that vendor
ring listed as pau rosa
bowl listed as pau rosa
10" diameter shallow bowl by Steve Earis (with big enlargements available that REALLY show the grain nicely) and the blank from which it was turned. Steve has this as pau rosa but without any botanical designation. Correspondant John Furer says he is sure this is Machaerium firmum.
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