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Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Family Name
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Planing
Polishing
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

Scientific Name
Himatanthus articulata

Trade Name
Balata blanc

Family Name
Apocynaceae

Synonyms
Plumeria articulata, Plumeria drastica


Wood Image 1

Common Names
Balata blanc, Bellaco-caspi, Carabina, Cipoal, Janahuba, Leche-leche, Leon, Malongo, Mapolo, Molongo, Perillo blanco, Sucuuba, Sucuuba rana, Wild jasmine

Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Venezuela

Common Uses
Boxes and crates, Chemical derivatives, Food containers, Furniture, Heavy construction, Light construction, Particleboard, Plywood, Poles, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties

Heartwood Color
Brown
Yellow
Red
Orange
Green/grey
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Brown


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Brown
Red
Paler than heartwood


Grain
Straight
Even

Straight


Texture
Coarse
Medium
Medium
Fine to medium


Luster
Medium
High
Lustrous
Dull


Natural Durability
Very durable
Durable
Perishable
Non-durable
Non durable
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles


Toxicity
Some toxic effects


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed


Drying Defects
Slight end splitting


Ease of Drying
Easy


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Tree height is 0-10 m


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Cutting Resistance
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy


Mortising
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Easy to mould


Planing
Easy to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Heartwood is permeable


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Easy to Work
Easy to machine


Turning
Easy to turn


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Strength Properties
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Max. crushing strength = high
Hardness (side grain) = soft
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Max. crushing strength = medium
Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Bending strength (MOR) = high


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength946314768psi
Hardness995lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength57068526psi
Shearing Strength1560psi
Stiffness151117451000 psi
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage8%
Volumetric Shrinkage13%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength6651038kg/cm2
Hardness451kg
Maximum Crushing Strength401599kg/cm2
Shearing Strength109kg/cm2
Stiffness1061221000 kg/cm2
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage8%

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

Falla Ramirez, A.,1971,Resultados de los estudios Fisico-Mecanicos de 41 especies Maderables de,la,region Carare-Opon. (Results of studies of the physical and mechanical,properties of 41 timber species of the Carare-Opon region.,Inst. de Desarrollo de los Recursos Naturales Renovables. Div. For.,Pleagble Divulgativo, Inderena Colombia,pp6

Fanshawe, D.B.,1954,Forest Products of British Guiana Part 1 Principal Timbers,Forest Department British Guiana Forestry Bulletin (New Series 2nd,Edition,No.1

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

Venezuela-Laboratories Nacional de Productos Forestates,1974,Caraderisticas, Propiedades y usos de 104 Maderas de los allos Ilanos,occidentales,Min. Ag. y Cria, Universidad de Los andes, Merida, Venezuela Lab.Nac. de,Prod. For.

Villamil, F.G.,1971,Maderas Colombianas,Proexpo Colombia









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