Shitan (Pterocarpus santalinus; red sandalwood)

Japanese: シタン(紫檀) - シタン（英語表記）Pterocarpus santalinus; red sandalwood

An evergreen tree of the legume family, native to southern India and Sri Lanka. It grows to a height of 6-10m. It has alternate pinnate compound leaves and bears racemes of butterfly-shaped flowers. The heartwood is dark purple-red and when polished shows wavy patterns. Its dense and hard texture has made it a prized material for construction, boxes, picture frames and other craft materials, along with ebony, since ancient times, and it is also used for agricultural tools. In addition to this species, woods commonly referred to as rosewood for craft materials include the rosewood family and several species of closely related genera.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

マメ科の常緑小高木で，インド南部およびスリランカ原産。高さ6～10mになる。羽状複葉を互生し，蝶形花を総状花序につける。心材は暗紫紅色で磨くと波状の紋が現れる。材質は緻密で堅く，建築材，箱，額縁などの工芸材として古来コクタンとともに珍重され，また農具などにも用いる。工芸材としていわゆる紫檀と呼ばれる材はこの種のほかローズウッドの類などや近縁属のいくつかの種類を含む。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

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