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Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data References Regions of Distribution Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Guazuma ulmifolia Trade Name Ajya Family Name Sterculiaceae Synonyms Guazuma guazuma, Guazuma tomentosa Common Names Ajya, Anhuiba, Aquich, Aquiche, Aquicho, Bastard cedar, Bay-cedar, Bois d'orme, Bois puant, Bois zombre, Bolaina, Boss d'orme, Bulines, Cabal-pixoy, Cablote, Caca de mico, Camba-aca, Cambeza de negro, Caulote, Cedre, Cedre jaune, Chicarion, Chicarron, Chicharron, Coco, Contamal, Cuahulote, Cuaulote, Diankra, Goea-azoema, Granadillo, Guacima, Guacima boba, Guacima cimarrona, Guacima de caballo, Guacimillo, Guacimo, Guacimo baba, Guacimo blanco, Guacimo colarado, Guacimo colorado, Guacimo de ternero, Guacimo dulce, Guacimo macho, Guazuma, Guazuma plum, Hetre gris, Hetre vert, Ibixuma, Inga negro, Inga-hu, Iumanasi, Jacocalalu, Kudzir, Lluicho-vainilla, Mahot baba, Mahot-vert, Majagua de toro, Majahua de toro, Marmelero, Motamba, Mutamba, Mutumba, Orme d'Amerique, Orme des antilles, Palote negro, Papayillo, Pigeon-wood, Pixoi, Pixoy, Seruru, Shumgin, Sungi, Sungin, Surruru, Tablote, Tapaculo, Tzuni, Tzuyui, Udzir, Uiguie, Vacima, West Indian elm, Wonan, Ya-ana, Yaco de venado, Yaco granadillo, Zam-mi Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Puerto Rico [US], Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Boxes and crates, Charcoal, Cooperages, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Light construction, Musical instruments: strings, Poles, Posts, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Vehicle parts Heartwood Color Yellow Red Orange Brown Pale red to pink Brown Sapwood Color Paler than heartwood Same as heartwood Grain Even Straight Straight Texture Fine Coarse Natural Durability Very durable Durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Non durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Splitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Nailing Easy to nail Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13276 19839 psi Density 32 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 3916 6397 psi Stiffness 1665 1923 1000 psi Weight 31 25 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 933 1394 kg/cm2 Density 512 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 275 449 kg/cm2 Stiffness 117 135 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 496 400 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Griffiden, K.,1967,Mechanical, physical and other properties of some West Irian (New Guinea,wood species and their suitability for the wood working industries in the,Netherlands,Forest Products Research Institute, TNO, Delhi, Netherlands 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 Little, E.L.,1948,A Collection of Tree Specimens from Western Ecuador,Caribbean Forester,9(3,pp215-98 Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad Marshall, R.C.,1939,Silviculture of the trees of Trinidad and Tobago - British West Indies,O.U.P.,London Nation Research Council,1980,Firewood Crops Shrub and Tree Species for Energy Production,National Academy of Sciences, Washington D.C. 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 Record, S.J.,1927,Trees of Honduras,Tropical Woods,10, pp10-47 Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29 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