Peroba is a common name used for more than one Brazilian tree, so it does not identify a single wood with certainty. One well-documented species is Peroba-rosa, Aspidosperma polyneuron, a slow-growing tree in the Apocynaceae family. For construction or timber identification, the botanical species matters: another wood sold or described as “peroba” may come from a different tree.
What does “Peroba” mean?
“Peroba” is a shared Brazilian tree name rather than a one-to-one botanical label. The name Peroba-rosa refers to Aspidosperma polyneuron; Peroba-poca refers to Aspidosperma cylindrocarpon. Other sources show the name used for still other species, including Paratecoma peroba and, in one community context described in a 2024 study, Tabebuia elliptica. Those examples do not mean the names are interchangeable everywhere. They show why a common name alone cannot establish a timber’s species.
When a species-level fact matters—such as a wood description, conservation listing, or sourcing claim—use the scientific name alongside the common name.
What is Peroba-rosa?
Peroba-rosa is Aspidosperma polyneuron, a tree in the Apocynaceae family. Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ) describes it as slow-developing and reports a typical height of 15–25 m, with a descriptive maximum of 30 m, and a diameter at breast height of 50–200 cm. These figures appear on IPÊ’s species page, whose cited forestry references date from 1994–2007; they should not be read as measurements made in 2026. See the IPÊ Flora Regional entry for Aspidosperma polyneuron.
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IPÊ reports the species in Caatinga and Cerrado settings and in seasonal semideciduous forest contexts of the Atlantic Forest. Its page labels A. polyneuron “EN – Em perigo (UICN).” That label belongs to this species, not to every tree or timber called peroba; the underlying assessment date was not established on the page.
What is Peroba-rosa wood used for?
USP ESALQ describes Peroba-rosa wood as pink-red, sometimes marked with darker streaks, heavy, hard, and very durable. Its listed uses include structural construction, flooring, stairs, posts, railway sleepers, heavy furniture, vehicle bodies, railway wagons, and shipbuilding. These are documented uses, not evidence that a particular supply is currently available, legally sourced, or sustainable. The USP ESALQ Peroba-rosa profile gives the university’s description.
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IPÊ also lists construction, furniture, flooring, and ornamental uses for A. polyneuron. The two references describe a broad history of use; neither establishes current market supply or the origin of a specific piece of wood.
How can you identify Peroba wood?
Color, weight, hardness, and grain can help describe a timber sample, but they do not by themselves prove that it is Peroba-rosa. Similar common names are applied to different species, and a processed board may not retain the features needed for confident identification by casual inspection.
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The Brazilian Forest Service’s commercial-wood identification resource explains that its database uses general and macroscopic characteristics as well as chemical and physical tests. It includes conservation, trade, distribution, biome, and nomenclature information. The official page says the interactive key covers 157 species from 35 botanical families, including 154 native to Brazil; the page was modified on 15 July 2026. It notes that a knife and a 10× loupe can be used to examine characteristics, but that does not make a quick visual check definitive. Consult the Serviço Florestal Brasileiro interactive commercial-wood key for a more systematic reference.
For a living tree, identification should likewise be tied to botanical features and a named species, not just a local name or photograph. Embrapa’s reference volume Espécies arbóreas brasileiras, volume 1, includes a chapter specifically on “Peroba-rosa: Aspidosperma polyneuron” by Paulo Ernani Ramalho Carvalho (2003, pp. 781–789); the repository record is available from Embrapa Alice.
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How does Peroba-rosa differ from other trees called Peroba?
| Common name or usage | Botanical name | What the cited source establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Peroba-rosa | Aspidosperma polyneuron | IPÊ identifies the species and gives its ecology and conservation label; USP ESALQ describes its wood and uses. |
| Peroba-poca | Aspidosperma cylindrocarpon | USP ESALQ identifies this as a separate species with its own entry and local names. USP ESALQ Peroba-poca profile. |
| Peroba | Paratecoma peroba | A 2019 CNCFlora result treats it as a separate species and reports timber use and logging or wood-harvesting threats; detailed claims should be checked against the source. CNCFlora species page. |
| Plant called peroba in one community context | Tabebuia elliptica | A 2024 study reports this botanical identification in that specific context; it does not establish general usage across communities. 2024 study. |
Regional and local names can also vary within a species. IPÊ lists several names for A. polyneuron, while Embrapa’s 2003 record documents names including peroba-verdadeira, peroba-comum, peroba-paulista, and peroba-do-rio. That variation is another reason to request a scientific identification when specifying, buying, or documenting timber.
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