PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Haematoxylum campechianum

Table of Contents

Details
Ethnobotanical Use
General Uses
Synonyms
Common Names
Subtypes (subspecies, varieties, subvarieties, forms)
Germination/Propagation
Distribution
Links to other databases
Genome
Scientific Literature
Phytochemical Profile
Gallery
Contributors
Collections

Details Top

Internal ID UUID643fd63ed7e79776045271
Scientific name Haematoxylum campechianum
Authority L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 384 (1753)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

Suggest a correction!
Important notice
  • Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
  • Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
  • Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
  • Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.

Throughout the Caribbean and Central America, logwood has been brewed into astringent teas and decoctions for treating mild diarrhea and dysentery, with the bark or heartwood prepared most often. In the West Indies pharmacopoeia, an infusion of the wood is noted for such uses; in Suriname, Freise (1933) records decoctions of the powdered wood for colic and diarrhea; and among healers on Jamaica, Wright and colleagues (2007) describe infusions of the bark for diarrheal conditions. In northern Belize, toxicological reviews of logwood consumption sometimes cite agar pultices and “af_UI infusions” of the leaves in local tradition, while J.A. Parry (1897) mentions poultices of the wood and infusions for buccal inflammation (rough anal).

A practical bark infusion can be made by boiling 1–2 grams of dried logwood bark in one cup (about 250 milliliters) of water for 5–10 minutes, then cooling, filtering, and drinking a few spoonfuls. Due to the presence of tannins and hematoxylin, avoid excessive or repeated internal use; logwood is not recommended during pregnancy and can be harmful in large amounts.

Key active constituents include hematoxylin (the chromogen that yields the blue dye) and tannins; together, they underpin logwood’s astringent properties. Minor flavonoids such as quercetin have also been identified.

Today logwood remains a major source of natural brown and blue-black dyes, while research continues into its dye chemistry and safety (CHAIN-NET, 2020; Shaughnessy et al., 2013).

General Uses Top

Suggest a correction!

Common products:
Logwood heartwood is processed into logwood extract, hematoxylin crystals, and hematein, with wood chips and bark also utilized in industrial dye production.

Industrial and craft applications:
The extract serves as a primary colorant for textile dyeing, producing deep blue to black shades on protein and cellulose fibers. Ink manufacturers use logwood-based compounds for fountain pen inks and printing inks. Tanning operations historically employed the bark for leather processing due to its high tannin content (approximately 10-20%). Laboratory suppliers provide hematoxylin for histology and biological staining applications.

Colorants and tanning:
Logwood produces natural brown to purple-black colorants suitable for cotton, wool, silk, and other natural fibers. The dye exhibits good lightfastness and washfastness properties when properly mordanted. Commercial dye formulations typically contain 2-5% logwood extract. The bark provides tannin-rich extracts used in leather tanning, with high molecular weight polyphenols contributing to the tanning process.

Wood and fiber:
The dense, hard heartwood (specific gravity 0.95-1.1) provides valuable timber for specialty applications including musical instruments, fine cabinetry, and turnery. The wood's fine grain and dark color make it suitable for decorative objects. Bast fibers from the bark historically found limited use in cordage and textiles.

Properties relevant to use:
Hematoxylin content ranges from 6-10% in mature heartwood. The compound's ability to form complexes with metal ions (particularly iron and aluminum) enables histological staining applications. Logwood tannin falls within the condensed tannin category, providing effective protein binding in leather processing.

Standards and regulation:
International dye standards (ISO 4589) cover logwood-based textile colorants. Food-grade applications must comply with FDA regulations where applicable. Historical trade standards established quality grades based on extract content and color intensity.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Commercial harvesting primarily occurs in Central America, with some cultivation programs in Southeast Asia. Sustainable forestry practices focus on selective harvesting to maintain population levels, though regulations vary by region.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Haematoxylon campechianum L.
Acosmium trichonema Rizzini Rodriguésia29: 149 (1977)
Cymbosepalum baronii Baker Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew1895: 103 (1895)

Common names Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!

Language Common/alternative name
English bloodwoodtree
English logwood
English logwood tree
English jamaica wood
English campeche wood
English campeche logwood
English campeachy wood
English campeachy tree
English bluewood
English bloodwood tree
English blackwood
Arabic خشب البقم
Czech kampeškové dřevo
Danish blåtræ
German blutholzbaum
German blauholz
Persian بقم
Finnish kampetšepuu
Finnish sinipuu
French bois de campêche
French campêche
ht kanpèch
Hungarian kékfa (festőnövény)
Hungarian vérfa
Hungarian kampesfa
Hungarian kampecsfa
Japanese アカミノキ
Georgian ბაყმის ხე
Korean 로그우드
Norwegian Bokmål blåtre
Norwegian Nynorsk kampeche
Polish modrzejec kampechiański
Russian Кампешевое дерево
Slovenian višnjeva pražilka
Telugu బ్లడ్ వుడ్ చెట్టు
Vietnamese huyết mộc
Chinese 洋苏木
Chinese 墨水树
Chinese 采木
Chinese 彩木
Chinese 墨水樹

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No subspecies added yet.

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No variety added yet.

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No subvariety added yet.

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Add a new one! Suggest a correction!
No forms added yet.

Germination/Propagation Top

Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Africa
    • East Tropical Africa
      • Kenya
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
    • Northeast Tropical Africa
      • Sudan
    • Northern Africa
      • Egypt
    • South Tropical Africa
      • Angola
    • West Tropical Africa
      • Benin
      • Ivory Coast
      • Nigeria
      • Senegal
      • Sierra Leone
    • West-central Tropical Africa
      • Gulf Of Guinea Islands
      • Zaïre
    • Western Indian Ocean
      • Madagascar
      • Mauritius
      • Rodrigues
      • Réunion
  • Asia-temperate
    • Arabian Peninsula
      • Saudi Arabia
    • China
      • China South-central
      • China Southeast
    • Eastern Asia
      • Taiwan
  • Asia-tropical
    • Indian Subcontinent
      • Bangladesh
      • India
      • Pakistan
      • Sri Lanka
    • Malesia
      • Jawa
  • Pacific
    • North-central Pacific
      • Hawaii
    • South-central Pacific
      • Marquesas
    • Southwestern Pacific
      • New Caledonia
  • Southern America
    • Caribbean
      • Bahamas
      • Cayman Islands
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Haiti
      • Jamaica
      • Leeward Islands
      • Puerto Rico
      • Trinidad-Tobago
      • Windward Islands
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000168536
UNII UF36AD039H
USDA Plants HACA2
Tropicos 13019908
INPN 447042
Flora of Italy 9446
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:316401-2
The Plant List ild-1485
Open Tree Of Life 180578
Observations.org 209587
NCBI Taxonomy 321551
Nature Serve 2.154994
IUCN Red List 62026169
IPNI 316401-2
iNaturalist 163502
GBIF 2950903
Freebase /m/02nlt0
EPPO HATCA
EOL 416119
Elurikkus 340090
USDA GRIN 18172
Wikipedia Haematoxylum_campechianum

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Sorption Behavior of Azo Dye Congo Red onto Activated Biochar from Haematoxylum campechianum Waste: Gradient Boosting Machine Learning-Assisted Bayesian Optimization for Improved Adsorption Process Gamboa DM, Abatal M, Lima E, Franseschi FA, Ucán CA, Tariq R, Elías MA, Vargas J Int J Mol Sci 27-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11083778
doi:10.3390/ijms25094771
PMID:38731990
A review of the melliferous flora of Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, on the basis for the honey production cycle Zúñiga-Díaz D, Cetzal-Ix W, López-Castilla H, Noguera-Savelli E, Tamayo-Cen I, Martínez-Puc JF, Basu SK J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 25-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10964660
doi:10.1186/s13002-024-00681-0
PMID:38528551
Amazonian useful plants described in the book “Le Pays des Amazones” (1885) of the Brazilian propagandist Baron de Santa-Anna Nery: a historical and ethnobotanical perspective Silva LN, Oliveira EC, Baratto LC J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 26-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10897987
doi:10.1186/s13002-024-00663-2
PMID:38409064
History of research concerning the ependyma: a view from inside the human brain Del Bigio MR Front Cell Neurosci 08-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10800557
doi:10.3389/fncel.2023.1320369
PMID:38259502
Pest categorisation of Diaprepes abbreviatus Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Grégoire J, Malumphy C, Kertesz V, Maiorano A, MacLeod A EFSA J 15-Nov-2023
PMCID:PMC10648563
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8318
PMID:38027434
Plant Extracts as Skin Care and Therapeutic Agents Michalak M Int J Mol Sci 22-Oct-2023
PMCID:PMC10607442
doi:10.3390/ijms242015444
PMID:37895122
Evaluation of a New Mordant Based Haematoxylin Dye (Haematoxylin X) for Use in Clinical Pathology Gabriel JA, D’Amico C, Kosgodage U, Satoc J, Haine N, Willis S, Orchard GE Br J Biomed Sci 25-Sep-2023
PMCID:PMC10560741
doi:10.3389/bjbs.2023.11591
PMID:37818105
Implementation of machine learning in DNA barcoding for determining the plant family taxonomy Riza LS, Zain MI, Izzuddin A, Prasetyo Y, Hidayat T, Abu Samah KA Heliyon 21-Sep-2023
PMCID:PMC10520734
doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20161
PMID:37767518
Evaluation of biosafe alternative to eosin in hematoxylin and eosin staining procedure: A comparative study Pradeepthi K, Rajani K, Rao G, Sravya T, Wahed SA, Sailaja J J Oral Maxillofac Pathol 13-Jul-2023
PMCID:PMC10581282
doi:10.4103/jomfp.jomfp_146_22
PMID:37854923
Plants and Other Materials Used for Dyeing in the Present Territory of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine according to Rostafiński’s Questionnaire from 1883 Köhler P, Bystry A, Łuczaj Ł Plants (Basel) 28-Mar-2023
PMCID:PMC10096798
doi:10.3390/plants12071482
PMID:37050108
A survey on the potential contribution of Reunion Island dye plant species diversity to the market demand for bioactive plant-based dyes and pigments Andriamanantena M, Pithon S, Dijoux M, Hoareau M, Fontaine C, Ferrard J, Lavergne C, Petit T, Caro Y J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 25-Mar-2023
PMCID:PMC10039506
doi:10.1186/s13002-023-00580-w
PMID:36964580
Intratumoral synthesis of transformable metal-phenolic nanoaggregates with enhanced tumor penetration and retention for photothermal immunotherapy He X, Zhu H, Shang J, Li M, Zhang Y, Zhou S, Gong G, He Y, Blocki A, Guo J Theranostics 29-Aug-2022
PMCID:PMC9475467
doi:10.7150/thno.74808
PMID:36168635
Carbon Pool in Mexican Wetland Soils: Importance of the Environmental Service Zamora S, Zitácuaro-Contreras I, Betanzo-Torres EA, Herazo LC, Sandoval-Herazo M, Vidal-Álvarez M, Marín-Muñiz JL Life (Basel) 11-Jul-2022
PMCID:PMC9322611
doi:10.3390/life12071032
PMID:35888120
Nuances of the Papanicolaou stain Sathawane P, Kamal MM, Deotale PR, Mankar H Cytojournal 14-Jun-2022
PMCID:PMC9345133
doi:10.25259/CMAS_03_18_2021
PMID:35928529
The Multifunctional Role of Herbal Products in the Management of Diabetes and Obesity: A Comprehensive Review Rahman MM, Islam MR, Shohag S, Hossain ME, Rahaman MS, Islam F, Ahmed M, Mitra S, Khandaker MU, Idris AM, Chidambaram K, Emran TB, Cavalu S Molecules 06-Mar-2022
PMCID:PMC8911649
doi:10.3390/molecules27051713
PMID:35268815

Phytochemical Profile Top

Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives
Syringic Acid 10742 Click to see 198.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Gallic acids
Gallic Acid 370 Click to see 170.12 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00667-0
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Galloyl esters
Ethyl gallate 13250 Click to see CCOC(=O)C1=CC(=C(C(=C1)O)O)O 198.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00667-0
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
Methyl Gallate 7428 Click to see 184.15 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JEP.2008.06.005
https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00667-0
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Diphenylethers
3,5-Dihydroxy-4-[2,3-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-6-(ethoxycarbonyl)phenoxy]benzoic acid 100968203 Click to see CCOC(=O)C1=CC(=C(C(=C1OC2=C(C=C(C=C2O)C(=O)O)O)O)O)OC 380.30 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00667-0
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Cyclitols and derivatives / Quinic acids and derivatives
Chlorogenic Acid 1794427 Click to see C1C(C(C(CC1(C(=O)O)O)OC(=O)C=CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)O)O)O 354.31 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Ethers / Alkyl aryl ethers
(10R)-10-(hydroxymethyl)-8-oxatricyclo[10.4.0.02,7]hexadeca-1(16),2(7),3,5,12,14-hexaene-5,6,10,14,15-pentol 163060962 Click to see 320.29 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.1382
10-(Hydroxymethyl)-8-oxatricyclo[10.4.0.02,7]hexadeca-1(16),2(7),3,5,12,14-hexaene-5,6,10,14,15-pentol 163060961 Click to see 320.29 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.1382
Hematoxylol 15081175 Click to see C1C(=O)COC2=C(C=CC(=C2O)O)C3=CC(=C(C=C31)O)O 288.25 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.1382
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans
(6aR)-7,11b-dihydro-6H-indeno[2,1-c]chromene-3,4,6a,9,10-pentol 45029742 Click to see 302.28 unknown https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.1382
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(96)90867-1
Hematoxylin 10603 Click to see C1C2=CC(=C(C=C2C3C1(COC4=C3C=CC(=C4O)O)O)O)O 302.28 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JEP.2008.06.005
https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.1382
Hematoxylin 442514 Click to see 302.28 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JEP.2008.06.005
https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.1382
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids
Caffeic Acid 689043 Click to see 180.16 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
Ferulic Acid 445858 Click to see 194.18 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Diarylheptanoids / Linear diarylheptanoids
Octagalloylglucose 54085664 Click to see 1397.00 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols
Isorhamnetin 5281654 Click to see 316.26 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
Kaempferol 5280863 Click to see 286.24 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
Quercetin 5280343 Click to see 302.23 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
Rhamnetin 5281691 Click to see 316.26 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides
2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-((2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl)oxychromen-4-one 51402807 Click to see 464.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-Dihydroxy-3-(3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-(Hydroxymethyl)Oxan-2-Yl)Oxychromen-4-One 5378597 Click to see 464.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one 5317364 Click to see 436.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxo-4H-1-benzopyran-3-yl 6-deoxyhexopyranoside 5353915 Click to see 448.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
Isoquercetin 5280804 Click to see 464.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
Kaempferol-3-O-Rutinoside 5318767 Click to see 594.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
Quercitrin 5280459 Click to see 448.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
Rutin 5280805 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
Trifolin 5282149 Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O 448.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 3-O-methylated flavonoids
3-Methoxyluteolin 5280681 Click to see COC1=C(OC2=CC(=CC(=C2C1=O)O)O)C3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O 316.26 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00667-0
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Tannins
.beta-Penta-O-galloyl-D-glucose 374874 Click to see C1=C(C=C(C(=C1O)O)O)C(=O)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC(=O)C3=CC(=C(C(=C3)O)O)O)OC(=O)C4=CC(=C(C(=C4)O)O)O)OC(=O)C5=CC(=C(C(=C5)O)O)O)OC(=O)C6=CC(=C(C(=C6)O)O)O 940.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-Galloyl-Beta-D-Glucose 73178 Click to see 788.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
1,2,3,6-Tetragalloyl-beta-D-glucopyranose 5153644 Click to see 788.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
Penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose 65238 Click to see 940.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(95)00924-8
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Tannins / Hydrolyzable tannins
Ellagic Acid 5281855 Click to see 302.19 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(94)90063-9

Gallery Top

We don't have an image yet. Upload an image!

Contributors Top

No known contributors. Be the first!

Collections Top

In private collections 0
In public collections 0
You need to be authenticated in order to add this taxon to a personal collection.