a. The wood of the tulip-tree (see prec. 1), a light ornamental wood used by cabinet-makers, etc. b. A name for various colored and striped woods, or the trees producing them, as Physocalymma floribundum of Brazil, Homoiceltis (Aphananthe) philippinensis, and species of Owenia and Harpullia, of Australia. (Also attrib.)
1843. Holtzapffel, Turning, I. ii. 20. Some of the hardest foreign woods, as king-wood, tulip-wood,… are rarely sound in the center.
1845. J. O. Balfour, Sketch N. S. Wales, ii. 39. The tulip wood, with its variegated flowers, and delightful perfume, grows in abundance.
1866. Treas. Bot., 882. The beautifully striped rose-coloured wood imported from Brazil, and called Tulip-wood by our cabinet-makers,… is the produce of P[hysocalymma] floribundum.
1884. Miller, Plant-n., Harpulia Hillii and H. pendula, Tulip-wood, of Queensland.
1891. Cent. Dict., s.v. Owenia, O[wenia] cerasifera and O. venosa are in Queensland called respectively sweet and sour plum. Both have hard wood, that of the latter highly coloured…, used in cabinet-making and wheelwrights’ work. O. venosa is called tulip-wood.
1898. Morris, Austral Eng., Tulip-wood. The name is given, in Australia, to Aphnanthe philipinensis, Planch., N. O. Urticaceæ, and to the timber of Harpullia pendula, Planch. [Moreton Bay tulip-wood], N. O. Sapindaceæ. It is, further, a synonym for the Emu-Apple [Owenia acidula, called also Native Nectarine and Native Quince].
1906. Times, 8 Feb., 7/6. A Dutch kingwood and tulipwood secretaire cabinet.
