grenadilla

grenadilla

English

Noun

grenadilla (countable and uncountable, plural grenadillas)

1. A plant found in Africa, Dalbergia melanoxylon, used for timber and whose fruit is edible.
   • 1899, James Bryce, Impressions of South Africa‎:

     Here and there we found a European farm, marked in the distance by the waving tops of the gum-trees, with the low wooden house festooned by the brilliant mauve blossoms of the climbing bougainvillea, and the garden enclosed by hedges of grenadilla, whose fruit is much eaten in South Africa.

   • 1852, Mrs. David Osborne, The World of Waters‎:

     On these plains, too, you will find the bushy oleander, many varieties of Jerusalem thorn and African rose, the bright scarlet of the cordium, bowers of jessamine, vines of grenadilla, and the silver and silky leaves of the portlandia.

2. The wood obtained from this plant, blackwood, which is particularly used for making musical instruments.

Synonyms

• African blackwood
• mpingo