The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ironwood \I"ron*wood`\, n. (Bot.) A tree unusually hard, strong, or heavy wood.
Note: In the United States, the hornbeam and the hop hornbeam are so called; also the Olneya Tesota, a small tree of Arizona; in the West Indies, the Erythroxylon areolatum, and several other unrelated trees; in China, the Metrosideros vera; in India, the Mesua ferrea, and two species of Inga; in Australia, the Eucalyptus Sideroxylon, and in many countries, species of Sideroxylon and Diospyros, and many other trees.
Metrosideros \Met`ro*si*de"ros\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? heart of a tree + ? iron.] (Bot.) A myrtaceous genus of trees or shrubs, found in Australia and the South Sea Islands, and having very hard wood. Metrosideros vera is the true ironwood.