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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Light-Induced Color Change Luster Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Zanthoxylum flavum Trade Name West Indian satinwood Family Name Rutaceae Synonyms Xanthoxylum cribrosum, Xanthoxylum flavum, Zanthoxylum flavum Common Names Aceitillo, Bois noyer, Bois noyes, Calibori, Concha satinwood, Espinillo, Harewood, Jamaican satinwood, Kalabarie, Lagartillo, Noyer, Noyes, Pino macho, Prickly ash, San Domingan satinwood, Satine jaune, Satinwood, West Indian satinwood, West Indies satinwood, Yellow sanders, Yellow wood, Yellowheart, Yellowheart prickly ash Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Netherlands, Puerto Rico [US], Puerto Rico, United States Common Uses Bedroom suites, Bobbins, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Inlay work, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Marquetry, Office furniture, Ornamental work , Paneling, Picker sticks, Plain veneer, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shade rollers, Shuttles, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Stencil & chisel blocks, Stools, Sucker rods, Tables , Textile equipment, Turnery, Veneer, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Very rare Status in wild unknown due to insufficient information Locally found in a restricted range Local throughout its range Endangered within its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Data source is Nature Conservancy Considered vulnerable in its natural habitat because its numbers are threatened by serious adverse factors throughout its range. However, the species likely exists today in relatively large numbers. Abundant in some locations It may also be vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other existing but unknown factors Its status in the wild in several areas in its range, including the Caribbean Islands, Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Amazons is currently listed as unknown because of insufficient information. This species is officially classified as Endangered within its natural habitat in Bermuda. Distribution Overview The natural growth range and abundance of the species are uncertain, but it is distributed in the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Bermuda, and southern Florida. It is also found in very small quantities in the protected forests in the serpentine and dry moist limestone regions of western Puerto Rico Heartwood Color Red Pink Yellow to golden-yellow to orange White to cream Pale brown Light orange or golden tan Darkens upon exposure Cream - light Sapwood Color White Yellow White to yellow Progressively darkens in color from bark until it merges gradually into the heartwood Grain Figure Other (figure) Mottled (figure) Wavy Straight Interlocked Distinct (figure) Even Closed Other figure Wavy Mottled figure Straight Interlocked Distinct and very fine figure Mottled figure Interlocked and irregular Figure if often slightly roey Distinct figure Texture Coarse Fine Even textured Luster Medium Lustrous Pronounced High Natural Durability Durable Perishable Moderately durable Non-durable Non durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to marine borer attack Resistant to attack by dry-wood insects Moderately durable Odor Aroma of coconut oil when freshly cut or worked Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Dermatitic effects Unspecified toxicity Sawdust can cause skin irritation in some individuals Drying Defects Splitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Kiln Drying Rate Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 60-70 m Tree height is 50-60 m Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Product Sources Supplies are extremely limited and the material is very expensive when available. The wood is commercially unavailable. The American species is very scarce, and the Satinwoods mostly found on the market today are substitutes. The two most often encountered are Ceylon Satinwood (Chloroxylon swietenia) and East African satinwood (Fagara macrophylla). Two other species are also occasionally labelled as Satinwood. They are Ayan (Distemonanthus benthamianus) from Africa, and Pau amarello (Euxylophora paraensis) from South America. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Highly figured material is very showy in appearance, and its yellowish orange color works well in projects when employed in a mixture with other woods that are darker. Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is moderate Medium blunting effect on cuttin tools Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe Carving Responds well to carving operations Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to glue Planing Very difficult to plane Tends to ride on cutters Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Responds very well to hand tools Turning Easy to turn Good results Finish is generally satisfactory Excellent turning qualities Veneering Qualities Good gluing qualities Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Takes a fine polish Poor results High natural luster Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Very high weight Very high density Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 56 lbs/ft3 Specific Gravity 0.71 Weight 55 43 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Density 897 kg/m3 Specific Gravity 0.71 Weight 881 689 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % References Arno, J. 1992. Zanthoxylum flavum - West Indian satinwood. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 360-361. Bolza, E.,1976,Timber and Health,Div. Building Res. C.S.I.R.O. Australia Britton, N.L., Millspaugh, C.F.,1920,The Bahama Flora,Britton & Millspaugh,New York Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Constantine, Jr., A. J. 1959. Know Your Woods - A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers. Revised Edition. Revised by H.J. Hobbs. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Cox, H.A.,1939,A Handbook of Empire Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Edmondson, C.H.,1949,Reaction of Woods from S.America and Caribbean areas to Marine Borers in,Hawaiian Waters,Caribbean Foresters,10(1,PP37-41 Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Fors, A.J.,1965,Maderas Cubanas,Inst. Nac. Ref. Agraria La Habara Harrar, E.S.,1942,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 3. Directional and Volume,Shrinkage,Tropical Woods,9(71, pp26-32 Howard, A.L. 1920. A Manual of the Timbers of the World:Their Characteristics and Uses, Third Edition. McMillan and Co., London, 751 pp. Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory Little, E.L., Wadsworth, F.H.,1964,Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.249 Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT. Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29 Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Plants Programme, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom. Wolcott, G.N.,1940,A List of the Woods arranged according to their resistance to the attack,of,the 'Polilla', the Dry-wood Termite of the West Indies, Cryptotermes,brevis Walker,Caribbean Forester,1(4,PP1-10 Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13