Dalbergia is a large genus of small to medium size trees, shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae within the larger family Fabaceae. It is recently assigned to the informal monophyletic Dalbergia clade the Dalbergieae. The genus has a wide distribution, mostly native to the tropical regions of Central and South America, Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia. Many species of Dalbergia are important timber trees, valued for their decorative and often fragrant wood, rich in aromatic oils. The most famous of these are the rosewoods, so-named because of the smell of the timber when cut, but several other valuable timbers are yielded by the genus. The Indian rosewood is primarily used for furniture in northern India. Its export is highly regulated due to recent high rates of tree death due to unknown causes. This wood is strong and tough, with colour golden to dark brown. It is extremely durable and it maintains its shape well. It can be easily seasoned. It is used for high-quality furniture, plywoods, bridge piles, sporting goods, and railway sleepers. It is a very good material for decorative work and carvings. Its density is 770 kg/m³.