The 'Logwood' tree (''Haematoxylum campechianum'') was once an important source of red dye. The tree's scientific name means 'bloodwood' ('haima' being Greek for 'blood' and 'xulon' Greek for wood) from the
Campeche region of Mexico's
Yucatán Peninsula. The Logwood grows throughout
Central America. It led to the founding of the modern nation of
Belize, which grew from British logging camps of the
17th century. It is still an important source of
haematoxylin, used in
histology for
staining.
The
bark and
leaves are used in various medical applications.
The name "logwood" is also used for many species, such the
Spiny logwood and
White logwood, that are not true logwoods but really belong to the genus ''
Xylosma''.
External link
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Logwood and Brazilwood