The name given to a tree that grew in Gondor, and the wood that it produced. Its wood was generally dark or black in colour, and it was said to have been beloved by the woodworkers of the South-kingdom. Its name means 'finger-tree', apparently because the tree produced leaves divided into separate finger-like lobes, like those of a chestnut.
The staves2 given by Faramir to Frodo and Sam were made of lebethron wood, each with a carved head, implying that the wood was relatively easy to work. Also of this wood was the casket in which Faramir later brought the Crown of Gondor to Aragorn. The use of lebethron for a ceremonial royal casket like this suggests that the wood was relatively rare and valuable.
Notes
1 |
Most sources agree that the name lebethron comes from Sindarin leben, 'finger', with the full name deriving from leben orn, 'finger tree'. The 'finger' of the name seems to derive from the shape of the tree's leaves, which were divided into hand-like lobes.
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2 |
It may be relevant to note that Faramir said of the staves he provided that they were modelled on those used by those who dwelt in the White Mountains. While very far from conclusive, this might be taken as a hint that the lebethron trees of Gondor tended to grow most commonly in these mountains.
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- Updated 10 February 2026
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