Haematoxylum campechianum

Logwood redirects here. It may also refer to members of the genus Xylosma, which is part of the willow family, Salicaceae.

Logwood
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Haematoxylum
Species:	H. campechianum
Binomial name
Haematoxylum campechianum L.

Haematoxylum campechianum (Logwood) is a species of flowering tree in the legume family, Fabaceae, that is native to southern Mexico and northern Central America. It has been and to a lesser extent remains of great economic importance. The modern nation of Belize grew from 17th century English logwood logging camps. The tree's scientific name means "bloodwood" (haima being Greek for blood and xulon for wood).

Uses

Logwood was used for a long time as a natural source of dye, and still remains an important source of haematoxylin, which is used in histology for staining. The bark and leaves are also used in various medical applications. In its time, logwood was considered a versatile dye, and was widely used on textiles but also for paper. The dye's colour depends on the mordant used as well as the pH. It is reddish in acidic environments but bluish in alkaline ones.

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External links

• Wayne's Word: Logwood and Brazilwood, Trees That Spawned 2 Nations
• Media related to Haematoxylum campechianum at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Haematoxylum campechianum at Wikispecies