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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 Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Byrsonima spp. Trade Name Serrette Family Name Malpighiaceae Common Names Candelo, Changugo, Chaparro, Chupi cara, Golden spoon, Kanoaballi, Maricao, Murici, Serrette Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Peru Common Uses Bedroom suites, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, General carpentry, Hatracks, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plain veneer, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Structural plywood, Sub-flooring, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture, Utility plywood, Veneer, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Vulnerable Abundant/Secure The environmental status of this species within its geographical boundaries has not been officially determined Distribution Overview Throughout West Indies, Central America, Colombia, the Guianas, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. Common in secondary forests and frequently on lands degraded by farming. Heartwood Color Brown Red Reddish brown Greyish tint Cast of purple Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White Pink Somewhat differentiated from the heartwood Reddish-brown Greyish Grain Even Straight Interlocked Occasionally interlocked, but not always Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Moderately fine Luster High Medium Medium Natural Durability Perishable Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Slightly resistant to decay causing organisms Heartwood highly susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites and other insects Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules T6 - D2 (4/4); T3 - D1 (8/4) US Schedule E; United Kingdom Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Slight surface- and end-checks Moderate cupping Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Thick Stock Requires Care Requires special attention Easy Air-dries slow/moderate Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Typically unbuttressed, and develops a straight and cylindrical stem that is clear of branches to 60 to 70 feet (18 to 21 m) Comments Care required during nailing and screwing Splits easily Blunting Effect Blunting effect on cutting tools is moderate Boring Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Low resistance Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Medium Moderate dimensional stability can be attained after seasoning Nailing Pre-boring recommended Poor nailing properties Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Good planing properties Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Sapwood is moderately treatable Heartwood is moderately treatable To increase penetration incising is encouraged Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Poorly Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Good sanding qualities Screwing Possible if prebored Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Good response to most hand tools and machines. Can be worked to a smooth surface in all operations. Steam Bending Variable steam bending qualities Moderate Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good results Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = high Bending strength qualities of this species in the air-dry condition is very high, far superior to those of Mahogany. It has superior properties in compression parallel to grain in the air-dry condition than Teak, White oak, or Hard maple. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and marring. The wood is very heavy. The wood has high density. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11358 16758 psi Density 45 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1499 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 5457 9173 psi Stiffness 1615 2006 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.57 Weight 44 36. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 798 1178 kg/cm2 Density 721 kg/m3 Hardness 679 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 383 644 kg/cm2 Stiffness 113 141 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.57 Weight 705 576. kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.