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Maluku Islands
Moluccan ebony grows in the Maluku Islands. The Maluku Islands are part of the Indonesian archipelago. The Maluku islands are wet and volcanic–a perfect environment for vegetation to grow.
Moluccan Ironwood
Moluccan ebony wood is also known as Moluccan Ironwood. This wood has been heavily harvested in Indonesia, but it is still widely available.
Characteristics
Moluccan ebony is a dark, red wood that is streaked with black veins. It is an extremely hard wood, and can be difficult to work with because of its density.
Over-harvesting
Unfortunately, the over-harvesting of most ebony woods, including Moluccan ebony, has made the purchase of such woods expensive
Taxonomy
Current name: Intsia bijuga
Authority: (Colebr.) Kuntze
Family: Fabaceae – Caesalpinioideae
Common names
(English) : Borneo teak, Moluccan ironwood
A highly-valued commercial tree, the Moluccan hardwood is intensively harvested for its timber, as it is one of the most decay-resistant woods known. This large, deciduous tree is also known for its distinctive crown of outward stretching branches and steep, rounded buttresses, which on fully grown trees can exceed four metres in height. The white to pink-red flowers are arranged into a dense inflorescence and numerous broad, tear-shaped, shiny, light green leaves extend from each stem in a feather-like structure (4) (5). The fruit of the Moluccan hardwood is a pear- or oblong-shaped, thick, rigid pod that measures up to 10 centimetres in length and usually contains one to nine dull brown, large, flattened seeds (4) (5).
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