Dalbergia nigra produces a very hard and heavy wood, characteristically varied in colour from brick red through various shades of brown (medium to nearly black).

This property, combined with its beauty, has made Brazilian rosewood a favourite of musical instrument makers for centuries.

Much of the most highly figured material was sliced into veneers, which decorated items such as domestic and office furniture, wall panels, and piano cases; it was also a favourite of marquetry artists.

[citation needed] Dalbergia nigra is endemic to Brazil, and native to the Bahia interior forests ecoregion.

[5] It is endemic to the Atlantic Forest biome of southeastern Brazil, and found only in southern Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro states.