Suou (Caesalpinia sappan) - Suou (English spelling) Caesalpinia sappan; sappan wood

Japanese: スオウ(蘇芳) - スオウ（英語表記）Caesalpinia sappan; sappan wood

A small shrub of the legume family, native to India and Malay. It is cultivated in tropical regions of East Asia. It is in the same genus as Caesalpinia, which grows in the mountains and fields of Japan, and has a similar overall shape. It has alternate, even-pinnate compound leaves and slightly irregular leaflets. The flowers grow in panicles, with yellow, five-petaled flowers arranged sideways. The heartwood contains a pigment called brazilein, which is dark red and has been used as a dye since ancient times. In Japan, it was an important red dye during the Asuka and Tenpyo periods, but is no longer used for dyeing textiles today because the color fades easily.

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

Japanese:

マメ科の小低木で，インド，マレー地方原産。東アジアの熱帯各地に栽培される。日本の山野に生えるジャケツイバラと同属で全体の形も似ている。偶数2回羽状の複葉を互生し，小葉はややいびつな形をしている。花は円錐花序をなし，黄色の5弁花を横向きにつける。心材はブラジレインと呼ばれる色素を含み，暗赤色で古くから染料に用いられ，日本では飛鳥・天平時代の重要な赤色染料であったが，色がさめやすいので現在では織物の染色には用いられない。

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