Sonosiso or North Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) is species in Fabaceae, a fast-growing and hardwood rosewood tree. This large tree grows to maximum height of 25 m and diameter of 3 m, bark are rough and light brown. D. sissoo has a coarse, compounded leaf and is about 15 cm long.
The flowers are whitish to pink, fragrant, 1.5 cm long in dense groups of about 5 to 10 cm long. Pods are 4-8 cm long and 1 cm wide. Each pod contains 1-5 seeds in the form of flat beans for 8-10 mm.
This species grows at an elevation of 200-1400 meters, temperature 10-40C, capable of rainfall of 2000 mm/year and drought of 4 months. The soil is pure sand, gravel to alluvium and slightly salty. Seedlings are not shade tolerant.
This tree is a commercial wood species under the famous teak (Tectona grandis) class for sale internationally. Trees are planted on the roadside, along canals and as shady trees. Wood is famous for making furniture, musical instruments, plywood, agricultural implements, floors and as bentwood.
Core wood is yellow to dark brown, white sap becomes pale brownish white. Heartwood is durable and resistant to mold. D sissoo is known to contain dalbergichromene neoflavonoid in bark and wood core.
Tree branches are traditionally to treat skin disorders and gastric related problems. The ethanol extract of sonosiso fruit showed the effect of moluskicide on freshwater snail eggs Biomphalaria pfeifferi. The juice from this plant is a strong herb for mixed plaster walls. Sapwood has 4908 kcal/kg and heartwood 5181 kcal/kg. Wood produces charcoal which is excellent for heating and cooking.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Dalbergieae
Genus: Dalbergia L.f. in Suppl. Pl.: 52 (1782)
Species: Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. in Prodr. 2: 416 (1825)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Amerimnon sissoo (Roxb. ex DC.) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 159 (1891)
Pterocarpus sissoo (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn. in Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 264 (1834)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Dalbergia pendula Ten. in Rendiconto Accad. Sci. Soc. Borbon. Napoli 1: 409 (1842)
Endespermum diversifolium Blume ex Miq. in Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(1): 128 (1855)
PUBLICATIONS
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VERNACULAR NAME
Arabic: ساسم - سرسوع - ساسم شائع - خشب الورد الهندي - خشب الورد الشمالي الهندي
Assamese: Sisu
Chinese (simplified): 印度黄檀
Chinese (traditional): 印度黃檀
Czech: Dalbergie šišam
English: Sonosiso, Siso, Sisu, Sisau, Shisham, Sheeshoo, Seeso, Blackwood-tree, Indian dalbergia, Indian Rosewood, North Indian Rosewood
Hebrew: סיסם הודי
Hindi: शिशम - शीशाम - सिसम - सिसु - सिसाउ - बिराडी Shisham, Sheesham, Sisam, Sissu, Sisau, Biradi
Indonesia: Sonosiso, Sana Siso
Japanese: シッソノキ
Java: Sonosiso, Sana siso, Sonowaseso
Kannada: Shimshape, Shimshupa, Biradi, Biridi
Malayalam: Himalayan-eetti, Irupul, Iruvil, Seesam, Oivala-sesba
Manipuri: Sissu
Marathi: Shisav, Sisvi, Shisham
Nepali: सिसाउ Sisau
Oria: Sissoo, Simsapa
Persian: جاگ
Polish: Kostrączyna dekańska
Punjabi: ਸ਼ੇਸ਼ਮ - ਤਾਹ੍ਲਿ
Pushto: شیوا
Russian: Дальбергия сиссу
Sanskrit: Aguru, Agurushinshupa, Dhira, Dhumrika, Kushimshipa
Slovak: Dalbergia previsnutá
Tamil: சிச்சாமரம் - சிச்சே - தேசி மரம் - சிசு-ஐடிஐ - பெறு Chichamaram, Chiche, Thaesi maram, Sisu-itii, Gette
Tangkhul: Chingsoo
Telugu: Sissoo, Sensupa, Errasissu, Errasisso
Thai: ประดู่แขก
Urdu: ﺷﻴﺸﻢ Sheesham
Western Bihar: Seeso
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