paubrasil

Pau-Brasil, also written pau-brasil or Brazilwood, is the common name for Caesalpinia echinata, a tree native to the Atlantic Forest along the eastern coast of Brazil. The species is historically significant because its reddish heartwood yielded a valuable dye, and the term pau-brasil is the origin of the name Brazil.

The tree is a small to medium-sized evergreen, typically reaching 5–15 meters in height. It has dense, reddish timber when mature, and the heartwood yields a distinctive red color that darkens with age. The leaves are pinnate, and the tree produces flowers that contribute to its use as a source of durable timber and dye-producing wood.

Historically, brazilwood was a major export in the 16th and 17th centuries, supplying dye for European textile industries and prompting extensive exploitation. Overharvesting, combined with habitat loss from deforestation, caused dramatic declines in wild populations. Today, Pau-Brasil is largely confined to remaining Atlantic Forest fragments and is cultivated in restoration projects.

Conservation: The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is included in CITES Appendix II, reflecting international trade controls. It is protected by Brazilian law, and conservation efforts emphasize habitat preservation and sustainable harvesting, along with reforestation programs to recover wild populations.