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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 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 Schedules Luster Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Calycophyllum candidissimum Trade Name Degame Family Name Rubiaceae Common Names Alazano, Araguato, Betun, Calan, Camaron, Chulub, Colorado, Conejo, Dagame, Degame, Degame lancewood, Degame spars, Degamme, Espino madrono, Guatagire, Guayabillo, Guayabo, Guayabo alazano, Guayabo colorado, Guayabo joveroso, Harino, Lance wood, Laurac, Lemonwood, Madrono, Marfim, Palo camaron, Salamo, Solano, Surra, Surrá, Uca, Urraco Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Belize, Colombia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela Common Uses Agricultural implements, Bearings & bushings, Boat building: framing, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Domestic flooring, Factory flooring, Fishing rods , Fishing rods, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Picker sticks, Piling, Shafts/Handles, Shuttles, Sills, Specialty items, Sporting Goods, Sub-flooring, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Wharf construction, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Questionable Extinct Endangered Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Occurs in Cuba and ranges from southern Mexico through Central America to Colombia and Venezuela. Degame may occur in pure stands and is common on shaded hillsides and along waterways. Heartwood Color Brown Purple Red Pale brown Greenish to greyish Dark brown Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Well defined Light brown Sapwood Color White Green/Grey Paler than heartwood White to yellow Somewhat differentiated from the heartwood Sapwood blends gradually into the heartwood Grain Straight Interlocked Figure Even Irregular Stripe (figure) Straight Interlocked Striped figure Irregular Texture Fine Medium Fine Very fine Uniform Luster High Medium Lustrous Dull Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Resistant to marine borers Non durable Durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non resistant to attack by decay causing organisms Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Highly resistant to marine borer attack. Heartwood resistant to attack by white rot and brown rot fungi Different sources have rated heartwood resistance to brown-rot and white-rot fungi attack as high and moderate Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content High Siliceous Kiln Schedules UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2 T2 - C2 (4/4); T2 - C1 (8/4) US Schedule B (4/4) united Kingdom Drying Defects Moderate twist/warp Slight spring/bow Moderate surface checking Moderate end spitting Small squares (used for archery bows) have a tendency to warp during drying. Irregular grain may cause twisting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Reconditioning Treatement Little degrade Variable results. Irregular grain is difficult to dry Good kiln-drying properties Air-dries rather well Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is unknown Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Product Sources Unlike many timbers, the heartwood of Degame is of no commercial value, but the sapwood has many significant uses. The timber is very scarce on the U.S. market and is expensive since its primary source is Cuba. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate Blunting effect on machining is slight Slight effect Boring Moderately easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Satisfactory sawing properties Gluing Glues well Easy to glue Movement in Service Stable Small Medium Seasoned wood holds shape very well Nailing Holds nails well Easy to nail Tends to split during nailing Degame has a slight tendency to split Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moderately easy to plane Responds well to planing and other machining operations Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Protection with preservatives unnecessary Uses of Degame typically do not require durability Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Good response Difficult to machine Screwing Good screw holding properties Turning Easy to turn Good results Steam Bending Good Polishing Satisfactory results Good results Excellent finishing and polishing Staining Very good staining characteristics Finish is generally good Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = high Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Max. crushing strength = medium Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content) is exceptionally high. It is far superior in strength to either Teak or Hard maple. Maximum crushing strength, or compression parallel to grain in the air-dry condition, is in the very high range. It is stronger than Hard maple, White oak, or Teak. It is hard - harder than Teak, and does not marr or dent easily. It is a very heavy wood. The species has very high density. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 14153 21893 psi Crushing Strength 1049 1558 psi Density 50 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1816 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6620 9909 psi Shearing Strength 2185 psi Static Bending 7183 12181 psi Stiffness 1974 2298 1000 psi Toughness 247 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 16 23 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.62 0.74 Weight 49 38 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 995 1539 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 73 109 kg/cm2 Density 801 kg/m3 Hardness 823 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 465 696 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 153 kg/cm2 Static Bending 505 856 kg/cm2 Stiffness 138 161 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 284 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 1.12 1.61 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.62 0.74 Weight 785 608 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods -Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University 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. Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO 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 Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment Fors, A.J.,1965,Maderas Cubanas,Inst. Nac. Ref. Agraria La Habara Guyana Forestry Department,1951,British Guiana Timbers - Greenheart (Ocotea rodiaei,British Guiana Forestry Department Leaflet No.2 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. Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. Kline, M. 1976. Calycophyllum candidissimum - Degame. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 80-81. 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 Kryn, J.M.,1953,Information leaflet Foreign Woods - Degame, Lemonwood (Calycophyllum,candidissmum,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison Report,R1949 Kukachka, B.F.,1970,Properties of Imported Tropical Woods,Forest Research Paper FPL 125 Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press 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 Slooten van der, H.J., Martinez, E.P.,1959,Descripcion y propiedades de algunas madeiras Venezolanas,Inst. for Lation Americano de Investigacion y Capaciticion Boletin,Informaturo Dirulgaturo Smith, E.E.,1954,The Forests of Cuba,Maria Moors Cabot Foundation,U.S.A. Publication, No. 2 Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. London 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 Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 Villamil, F.G.,1971,Maderas Colombianas,Proexpo Colombia 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. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom. Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series