Caesalpinia Sappan
/ˌsiːzælˈpɪniə ˈsæpən/noun
A tropical Asian tree formerly known as Caesalpinia sappan, valued for its red dye-producing heartwood and now generally classified as Biancaea sappan.
Did you know?Sappanwood contains brazilin, a compound that oxidizes into the vivid red dye brasilein and historically helped inspire the name Brazilwood.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Latin
Latin
Caesalpinus
“A Latinized form associated with Caesar; later used in the surname of botanist Andrea Cesalpino.”
16th Century
Italian/Latin
Andrea Cesalpino / Caesalpinus
“The Renaissance physician and botanist Andrea Cesalpino, whose Latinized surname became the source of the genus name.”
1753
Botanical Latin
Caesalpinia
“Linnaeus established Caesalpinia as a plant genus, honoring Cesalpino.”
18th Century
Malay
sepang
“The Malay name for the dye-producing tree and its red heartwood.”
Modern botanical Latin
Latin
Caesalpinia sappan
“The former scientific name for the Asian sappanwood tree; current classifications generally place it in the genus Biancaea.”