Hardwood from the species Dalbergia elanoxylon, native to the dry savanna woodlands of Africa and western India. It is lustrous dark purple or plum-colored, dense, hard, even-grained with a fine texture, and possessing good carving properties. It was used in ancient Egypt for furniture, arrowheads, tablets, chests, toys, inlays, and small figurines. It is currently used for clarinets and other woodwind instruments because due to its good resonance qualities. Not a true ebony.
