Rosewood

This is a richly hued, brownish wood with darker veining that has long been used by builders of fretted instruments for the fingerboards because of its strength and density. The wooden keys of both marimbas and xylophones may also be made from rosewood. All rosewoods belong to the genus Dalbergia and have a strong, sweet smell which persists over many years, which explains the name. The most cherished of all the rosewoods is Brazilian, which comes from the jacaranda tree. Brazilian rosewood is CITES-listed, and thus almost impossible to obtain, making what supplies still available astronomically expensive.