 Its original description was based on a single collection, which explains its botanical name (from the Latin word "occultus" "hidden, concealed").The IUCN Red List lists "Dalbergia occulta" as critically endangered.Due to overexploitation and the risk of confusion with similar species, "Dalbergia occulta" and other "Dalbergia" species from Madagascar were listed in CITES Appendix II in 2013, currently with a zero export quota.