| Guibourtia | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Tribe: | Detarieae |
| Genus: | Guibourtia Benn. |
| Species | |
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See article body |
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Guibourtia is a flowering plant genus in the family Fabaceae (legume family). It contains 16 species, native to tropical regions of Africa (13 species) and South America (3 species).[1] They occur in swampy or periodically inundated forests, as well as near rivers or at lakeshores.
They are evergreen trees growing to 40–50 m tall, with a trunk diameter of 1–2 m, often with a heavily buttressed trunk.[2]
Source:[1]
The genus is well-known for its luxury timbers. The best-known timber is bubinga (Guibourtia demeusei, aka kevazingo). Another is ovangkol. Species of Guibourtia also produce Congo copal.
The wood is often used by luthiers for harps and other instruments, such as bass guitars, because of its mellow and well-rounded sound. Warwick Bass is known to use Bubinga and Ovangkol. It has been used in drum shells as well. Drum companies such as Tama offer various high-end drum kits with plies of Bubinga in the shells.[4] Crafter also use bubinga on some of their instruments.[5] Bubinga is also used in both acoustic and electric guitars for its figure and hardness.
Bubinga is sometimes used in the production of archery bows, in particular as the main wood of the handle in some flat bows.
Bubinga is also used in furniture making, usually for tables, as large slabs of the dense wood can be cut, and with very little manipulation, be used for a table top.
Bubinga wood is also used in the production of handgun grips.
Bubinga often has an appearance similar to the mineral tiger eye. Light brown through dark brown and red, some samples show as almost purple.
Luxury car maker Lexus also makes use of the wood in their luxury vehicles.
They are known to produce chalconoids (chemical compounds related to chalcone), relatives of medically important chemicals called stilbenoids, one famous one being resveratrol.