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Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Luster Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Aspidosperma megalocarpon Trade Name Alcarreto Family Name Apocynaceae Common Names Alcarreto, Araracanga, Ararauba da terra firme, Ballester, Bayalte, Bois macaque, Chichi, Chichica, Chichique, Chicique, Copachi, Costillo, Gavetillo, Hielillo, Huichichi, Jacamim, Kromanti kopi, Malady, Malaria, Maparana, My lady, Ocre, Pelmax, Piquia marfim, Sibadanni, Volador Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Flooring, Furniture, Handles: woodworking tools, Heavy construction, Light construction, Paneling, Plywood, Poles, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods Heartwood Color Yellow Red Orange Pink Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale red to pink Pale brown Sapwood Color Red Yellow Same as heartwood Grain Straight Interlocked Even Figure Growth rings (figure) Straight Interlocked Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Medium Fine Fine to medium Medium Fine Luster Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Durable Moderately resistant to marine borer attack Drying Defects Distortion Splitting Slight end splitting Severe twisting/warping Moderate twist/warp Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Easy Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 20-30 m Bark width is 0-5 mm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Difficult to plane Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good sanding finish Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good results Easy to turn Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Max. crushing strength = very high Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = very hard Hardness (side grain) = hard Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12795 19405 psi Density 56 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2628 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7413 10508 psi Shearing Strength 2373 psi Stiffness 2402 2789 1000 psi Weight 55 44 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 899 1364 kg/cm2 Density 897 kg/m3 Hardness 1192 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 521 738 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 166 kg/cm2 Stiffness 168 196 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 881 705 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % References Belize,1946,42 Secondary Hardwood Timbers of British Honduras,British Honduras Forest Department Bulletin,No.1 Flores Rodriguez, L.J.,1969,Description Caracteristicas y usos de 25 Maderas tropicales,Mexicanas,Camera Nacional de la Industria de la Construccion Serie Maderas de Mexico Gomez-Vazquez, B.G.,1981,Wood structure and potential end uses of some lesser known Mexican timber,species,Thesis for Msc. Univ. Wales Bangor Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. 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 Pennington, T.D., Sarukhan, J.,1968,Manual para la Identificacion de campo de los Principales Arboles,Tropicales de Mexico,Inst. Nac. Inv. For. Mexico Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Takahashi, A.,1975,Compilation of data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part 2,Central and South America,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No.4 Vink, A.T.,1965,Surinam Timbers,Surinam Forest Service Paramaribo,3rd rev. ed. Wangaard, F.F., W.L. Stern, and S.L. Goodrich. 1955. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume V, No. 103. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.