These errors are understandable because Pernambuco wood is a rare species, on which very few papers have been written. The publication of a particle guide for identifying true Pernambuco(C. echinata) is necessary to overcome this problem. Only then can this speciess be distinguished from others with which it is frequently confused for various reasons.
Other plants commonly known as Pernambuco wood are found in many regions of Brazil. The name Brazil wood or Pernambuco wood are used for these species mainly because of the red color of the wood. In the Amazon region, especially along the Upper Rio Negro, these names are used for the leguminous species, Eperua purpura Benth, which has red wood. In other regions of Brazil, Colubrina glandulosa Reiss and Rhamnidium glabrum Reiss, usually known as sobrasil, are occasionally called Brazil wood or Pernambuco wood. Species that are frequently and erroneously known by this name because of a slight resemblance include Caesalpina peltophoroides Benth (sibipiruna or false Pernambuco wood), Caesalpina spinosa (molina) Kuntze (tara), Caesalpina ferrea Mart. (iron wood) and Adenanthera pavonina L. (tento carolina).
As was mention above, several other dyewood species are also known commercially as Brazil wood. Caesalpina sappna L, or sappon wood, is native in Asia and deserves mentioned because it is the tree, which gave rise to common name Brasil wood (known in the bow and violin business as Pernambuco wood). Caesalpina vesicaria L. (brasilete negro), Caesalpina campechianum L, (pau campeche) are dyewoods native in Central America and the Caribbean. In northern South America, on the Atlantic coast of Colombia and Venezuela the native species known as Brazil wood or Pernambuco wood is Haematoxylon brasiletto Karsten.
To help in the identification of true Pernambuco wood from the Atlantic coast of Brazil, a useful comparison of leaf characteristics and presence/absence of prickles is given in the table below:
Latin Name
Prickles
Leaves
Caesalpinia echinata
Compound, bipinnate, 3-7(10) pinnas, 8-21 leaflets
Caesalpinia sappan
Compound, bipinnate, 10-22 pinnas, 20-40 leaflets
Caesalpinia spinosa
Compound, bipinnate, 4-6 pinnas, 10-14 leaflets
Caesalpinia vesicaria
Compound, bipinnate, 4-6 pinnas, 2-6 leaflets
Caesalpinia violacea
Compound, bipinnate, 4-10 pinnas, 12-16 leaflets
Caesalpinia ferrea (ironwood)
Compound, bipinnate, 8-20 pinnas, 8-24 leaflets
Caesalpinia peltoporoides
Compound, bipinnate, 8-20 pinnas, 20-30 leaflets
Adenanthera pavonina
Compound, bipinnate, 4-10 pinnas, 12-20 leaflets
Haematoxylon brasiletto
Compound, bipinnate, 6-7 leaflets
Haematoxylon campechianum
Compound, bipinnate, 4-8 leaflets
Eperua purpurea
Compound, bipinnate, 4-6 leaflets
Colubrina glandulosa
Simple with glands
Rhamnidium glabrum
Simple without glands