# Pterocarpus macrocarpus
**Pterocarpus macrocarpus** Kurz is a deciduous timber tree of the legume family (Fabaceae) native to Indochina, best known under its trade name Burma padauk, whose reddish, termite-resistant heartwood ranks among the valuable rosewood-type hardwoods of Southeast Asia. The species was validly described by Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz in 1874 in the *Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal* (volume 43, page 187)[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A516502-1/general-information) • [2](https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=30288). It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae and the tribe Dalbergieae[2](https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=30288), within a genus that Kew's Plants of the World Online accepts as containing 37 species across the tropics and subtropics[3](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A331884-2).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | *Pterocarpus macrocarpus* Kurz, first published 1874 in *J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal*, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 43: 187[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A516502-1/general-information) |
| Family and tribe | Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, tribe Dalbergieae[2](https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=30288) |
| Native range | Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam; introduced into Assam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico[4](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/516502-1) |
| Wood density | 0.78–0.86 g/cm³, medium-weight to heavy and hard, with interlocked grain[5](https://www.delta-intkey.com/citeswood/en/www/fabptma.htm) |
| Common names | Burma padauk, padauk, pradoo (Thai), thnong (Khmer), mai du (Lao)[5](https://www.delta-intkey.com/citeswood/en/www/fabptma.htm) • [1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A516502-1/general-information) |
| Chromosome number | 2n = 22[6](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10582184/) |
## Description
It is deciduous, shedding its leaves during the dry season[7](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/2/3254). Young trees carry pale brown, slightly fissured bark, while mature trees have dark brown to gray, scaly bark; the fibrous inner bark is reddish brown and exudes drops of red sap when cut[7](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/2/3254).
The compound leaves are odd-pinnate, 15–25 cm long with 7–13 alternate elliptic leaflets 4–7.5 cm long and 2–3.5 cm wide[7](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/2/3254); a separate account gives pinnate leaves of 200–350 mm with 9–11 leaflets. The yellow, pea-like flowers, 1.4–1.7 cm wide with four or five wavy-margined petals, are borne in axillary panicles or racemes, and in the tropics flowering occurs from February to April[7](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/2/3254).
## Distribution and habitat
Kew records the native range as Indochina, specifically Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, with introductions into Assam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico[4](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/516502-1). An Indian floristic database additionally lists the species as native to India and Myanmar and recorded in Goa and Kerala[8](https://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/herbsheet.php?cat=13&id=9807).
The tree grows in dry, open Dipterocarp forests that are deciduous or semi-deciduous, at altitudes up to 700 m and where annual rainfall is 1,000–2,000 mm[7](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/2/3254). In Vietnamese forest studies it occurs in semi-deciduous or deciduous forests, is light-demanding, and shows lower potential for natural regeneration than associated timber species[9](https://www.fao.org/4/ac648e/ac648e0j.htm). In northern Thailand it was recorded as the dominant species in old-growth forest sites and the second most dominant in 10-, 30-, and 40-year-old teak plantation sites[10](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2024/2385142).
## Timber and uses
Wood anatomically it shows distinct or indistinct growth rings, brown to red to purple heartwood that darkens to reddish brown, sapwood distinct in color, and interlocked grain; the wood is of medium weight to heavy and hard, at 0.78–0.86 g/cm³[5](https://www.delta-intkey.com/citeswood/en/www/fabptma.htm). Although not a true rosewood of the genus *Dalbergia*, the timber is sometimes traded as if it were rosewood, and it appears in the Chinese national standard for hongmu (rosewood) furniture woods[11](https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/CITES-007-2016-En.pdf).
Demand has shifted toward the species in recent years: a CITES information paper reports an increasing shift from *Dalbergia cochinchinensis* to *Dalbergia oliveri* and *P. macrocarpus* in the Southeast Asian rosewood trade[12](https://www.blackwoodconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Global-Status-of-Dalbergia-and-Pterocarpus-Rosewood-CITES-2017-.pdf). Beyond timber, the species is listed as used for medicine and fodder in regional consultations[13](https://www.itto.int/files/itto_project_db_input/2586/technical/Technical%20Report%20%201%20%26%202-Results%20of%20the%20Resional%20and%20National%20Stakeholder%20Consultation.pdf?v=1709401214), and its heartwood has a history of use in Chinese medicine[14](https://www.pjps.pk/uploads/pdfs/31/3/Paper-25.pdf).
The tree also carries cultural weight.
## Conservation and trade status
Sources disagree on the species' formal protection status, and the disagreement is documented here rather than resolved. The USDA-ARS GRIN database records the conservation status as CITES Appendix II, described as vulnerable to extinction[2](https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=30288). The CITESwoodID reference states the species is not protected under CITES(EU)[5](https://www.delta-intkey.com/citeswood/en/www/fabptma.htm), and a CITES timber identification guide shows that only African populations of *Pterocarpus* are included in Appendix II, with *P. macrocarpus* instead carried in the EU's Annex D from 19 January 2022, covering live specimens and all parts and derivatives except seeds, pollen, and finished products packaged and ready for retail trade[15](https://cites.org/sites/default/files/timber_id_materials/files/CITES%20%20Timber%20-%20A%20guide%20to%20CITES-listed%20tree%20species%202023.pdf).
Threat assessments likewise diverge. The 2024 Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions compiled at Kew predict the species is not threatened, with confident assessment[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A516502-1/general-information), and ILDIS likewise lists it as not threatened[1](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A516502-1/general-information). The IUCN Red List status reported through iNaturalist, however, is Endangered (EN)[16](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/344886-Pterocarpus-macrocarpus). On the ground, populations have dwindled due to overexploitation for timber and conversion of forest to farmland[7](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/2/3254), and a Vietnamese report describes the species, listed in Vietnam's Red Book, as having been exploited excessively[17](https://vafs.gov.vn/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/04/15Gianghuong.pdf).
## Population genetics and research
An isozyme survey of 11 natural populations across different forest habitats in Thailand, using 18 loci coding for 11 enzymes, found a high level of genetic variation: the percentage of polymorphic loci per population ranged from 66.67 to 100 percent with a mean of 82.32 percent, and alleles per locus averaged 2.67. Observed heterozygosity (0.222) was lower than expected (0.246), with an FIS of 0.099 suggesting some inbreeding, and among-population differentiation was high, with an FST of 0.12. [Cluster analysis](https://www.edgepedia.org/cluster-analysis) revealed an east-west pattern of population grouping consistent with correlations between allele frequencies and longitude, and a genetic-geographic distance correlation of 0.515 (P < 0.0001) points to isolation by distance as a partial cause[18](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/037811279503526G).
Genomic resources have expanded recently. The species (2n = 22) is one of five hongmu heartwood species for which chromosome-level genomes have been assembled using short-read, long-read nanopore, and Hi-C data[6](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10582184/), and its chloroplast genome has been sequenced alongside four congeners, showing the typical four-part structure with 110 unique genes and abundant SSR loci[19](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7312355/). Because *P. macrocarpus* and *P. indicus* are morphologically close and hard to separate by anatomy, a real-time PCR method targeting a partial calcium-dependent protein kinase (CPK) gene region was developed in 2023 for wood identification, with a reported detection limit near 1.8 × 10-2 ng/µL[20](https://www.sciencepg.com/article/10.11648/j.jps.20231104.12). Macroscopic wood identification remains difficult within the genus: in one deep-learning study, *P. angolensis*, *P. erinaceus*, *P. macrocarpus*, and *P. indicus* were misjudged between each other because of large anatomical similarities[21](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11239398/).
The species is also used in plantation forestry. In 15-year-old plantations in the Katha District of Myanmar, *P. macrocarpus* stands held 77.2 tons per hectare of tree biomass and a total carbon content of 130.8 tons per hectare including undergrowth, litter, and soil, with a mean annual carbon increment of about 2.5 tons per hectare; biomass allocation was 2.8 percent in leaves, 24.4 percent in branches, 61.3 percent in stems, and 11.5 percent in roots[22](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21580103.2011.594613). Provenance trials of five Thai seed sources in western [Guangdong](https://www.edgepedia.org/guangdong), China, have screened young trees for growth and wood traits to select material for local planting[23](https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-2006.201811004).
## References
1. [Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz, Plants of the World Online, Kew Science](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A516502-1/general-information)
2. [Taxon: Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz, GRIN-Global, USDA-ARS](https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=30288)
3. [Pterocarpus Jacq., Plants of the World Online, Kew Science](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A331884-2)
4. [Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz, Plants of the World Online, Kew Science (distribution)](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/516502-1)
5. [CITESwoodID: Pterocarpus macrocarpus (Amboina), Richter, Gembruch & Koch](https://www.delta-intkey.com/citeswood/en/www/fabptma.htm)
6. [Chromosome-scale genomes of five Hongmu species in Leguminosae, PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10582184/)
7. [Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz, NParks Flora and Fauna Web, Singapore](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/2/3254)
8. [Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz, India Flora Online, IISc](https://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/herbsheet.php?cat=13&id=9807)
9. [Conservation of tropical forest genetic resources: IPGRI's efforts and experiences, FAO](https://www.fao.org/4/ac648e/ac648e0j.htm)
10. [Teak and edaphic factors affecting regeneration of woody species in economic forest plantation, Northern Thailand, International Journal of Forestry Research (2024)](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2024/2385142)
11. [IUCN/TRAFFIC analyses, CITES CoP17, Global Status of Dalbergia and Pterocarpus Rosewood Producing Species](https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/CITES-007-2016-En.pdf)
12. [Global Status of Dalbergia and Pterocarpus Rosewood Producing Species, CITES CoP17 Information Paper](https://www.blackwoodconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Global-Status-of-Dalbergia-and-Pterocarpus-Rosewood-CITES-2017-.pdf)
13. [Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, ITTO technical report](https://www.itto.int/files/itto_project_db_input/2586/technical/Technical%20Report%20%201%20%26%202-Results%20of%20the%20Resional%20and%20National%20Stakeholder%20Consultation.pdf?v=1709401214)
14. [Extraction of biomedical compounds from the wood of Pterocarpus, Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences](https://www.pjps.pk/uploads/pdfs/31/3/Paper-25.pdf)
15. [CITES and Timber: A guide to CITES-listed tree species (2023)](https://cites.org/sites/default/files/timber_id_materials/files/CITES%20%20Timber%20-%20A%20guide%20to%20CITES-listed%20tree%20species%202023.pdf)
16. [Burma Padauk (Pterocarpus macrocarpus), iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/344886-Pterocarpus-macrocarpus)
17. [Research on physiology and ecology characteristics of Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz, Ha Thi Mung, Research Center for Forest Ecology and Environment, Vietnam](https://vafs.gov.vn/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/04/15Gianghuong.pdf)
18. [Liengsiri, C., Yeh, F.C., Boyle, T.J.B. (1995). Isozyme analysis of a tropical forest tree, Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz. in Thailand. Forest Ecology and Management 74: 13-22](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/037811279503526G)
19. [Comparative analyses of five complete chloroplast genomes from the genus Pterocarpus (Fabaceae), PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7312355/)
20. [Rapid species discrimination of high value hardwood, Pterocarpus macrocarpus, via real-time PCR, Journal of Plant Sciences 11(4): 121-127 (2023)](https://www.sciencepg.com/article/10.11648/j.jps.20231104.12)
21. [How to discriminate wood of CITES-listed tree species from their look-alikes using SE-ResNet, PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11239398/)
22. [Carbon storage of 15-year-old Xylia xylocarpa and Pterocarpus macrocarpus plantations in the Katha District of Myanmar, Forest Science and Technology (2011)](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21580103.2011.594613)
23. [Early stage analysis on growth and wood properties of five provenances for Pterocarpus macrocarpus from Thailand (2018)](https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-2006.201811004)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Plants and algae › Seed plants › Other flowering plants › Rosids › Fabaceae: legumes and the pea family › Titles M to W*
*Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license