Baphia is a small genus of legumes that bear simple leaves.[2] Baphia is from the Greek word βάπτω (báptō-, "to dip" or "to dye"), referring to a red dye that is extracted from the heartwood of tropical species.[2][3] The genus is restricted to the African tropics. Baphia was traditionally assigned to the tribe Sophoreae;[4] however, recent molecular phylogenetic analyses reassigned Baphia to the tribe Baphieae.[5][6][7][8]