Search for  
 
 
top

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
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Light-Induced Color Change
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Chlorophora tinctoria

Trade Name
Fustic

Family Name
Moraceae

Synonyms
Maclura tinctoria


Wood Image 1

Common Names
Amarello, Amarelo, Amarillo, Amoeira, Amoreira branca, Auroeira, Avinge, Avinje, Barossa, Boid d'orange, Bois d'orange, Bois jaune, Brasil, Brasil palo amarillo, Cuba wood, Dinde, Dyers mulberry, Dyewood, Escambron de madera, Espinheiro branco, Fiselholz, Fresno de America, Fustetto, Fustic, Fustic mulberry, Fustic wood, Geelhout, Gelbholz, Insira caspi, Jataiba, Jocomico, Legno giallo, Limarona, Mora, Mora amarilla, Mora amarillo, Mora insira, Moral, Moral fino, Moral fustete, Moratana, Moreira, Morita, Odumbaum, Palo amarillo, Palo de mora, Palo naranjo, Palo negro, Palomoro, Pau amarello, Pau amarelo, Red fustic, Runa, Taiuva, Tajuba, Tatajiba, Tatajuba, Tatajuba-de-espinho, Tatane tauba, Tatayiba, Tatayivasaiyu, Tatayivásaiyú, Tatayuba, Tatayva, Touvo, Toyuba, Tustete, Tustic, Yellow wood

Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Bent Parts, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chemical derivatives, Chests, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Mathematical instruments, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Piling, Planks, Poles, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shafts/Handles, Shipbuilding, Stools, Structural work, Tool handles, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts, Wharf construction, Wheel spokes, Wheels

Environmental Profile
Vulnerable
Rare
Status unknown in many of its growth areas
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center

Listed as unknown due to lack of information in most areas within its range including, the Caribbean Islands, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Guadelope, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela

Distribution Overview
Widely distributed throughout tropical America. A northern form is found in coastal lowlands of southern Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and northern South America. A southern form is found in Misiones (Argentina), Paraguay and southern Brazil, but nowhere abundant.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Yellow
Orange
Purple
Black
Pink
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Reddish brown
Pale brown
Darkens with age
Dark brown
Contains dark streaks
Brown


Sapwood Color
Yellow
White
White to yellow
Well defined
Grayish cast
Dark streaks


Grain
Figure
Straight
Other (figure)
Even
Interlocked
Closed
Wavy
Stripe (figure)
Crossed

Straight
Other figure
Wavy
Striped figure
Interlocked
Crossed


Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Fine
Medium
Medium to coarse
Fine to medium


Luster
High
Medium
Pronounced
Lustrous
High


Natural Durability
Non-durable
Durable
Very durable
Perishable
Resistant to termites
Non-resistant to marine borers
Non-resistant to termites
Susceptible to insect attack
Durable
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Very durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Moderate weathering properties
Heartwood has very high natural resistnace to decay and other wood destroying organisms


Odor
Has an odor


Light-Induced Color Change
Darker


Toxicity
Unspecified toxicity


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a moderate speed
Drying (speed) is fast
Dry at a slow speed


Drying Defects
Checking
Collapse
Distortion
Internal Honeycombing Possible
Slight surface checking
Slight twist/warp
Slight end splitting
No twisting or warping
Slight spring/bow
No cupping, generally
Moderate twist/warp
Moderate surface checking


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Rapidly
Reconditioning Treatement
Requires special attention
Easy
Difficult
Moderate
Dries slowly


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries quickly


Tree Size
Bole length is 0-10 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Bole length is 10-20 m
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Tree height is 40-50 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm


Product Sources
The ITTO reports that timber production from the species is low. Export potential is rated as fair.

Apart from timber, the tree is economically valuable as the source of fustic, one of the most important commercial dye-woods. It yields a coloring compound called maclurin which used for the production of brown, yellow, and green dyes, especially for the olive-drab khaki. Its use dates back to the middle of the seventeenth century.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Little
Blunting effect on machining is severe
Slight
Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe


Boring
Fair to good results
Poor


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Poor results


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Moderate to saw
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to glue
Moderate gluing properties
Glues well


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Difficult to mortise


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Difficult to mould


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Stable
Small


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Satisfactory nailing properties


Planing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to plane
Ease of planing is moderate
Difficult to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is highly resistant
Sapwood is moderately resistant
Heartwood is resistant


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Responds Readily
Difficult to machine
Easy to machine
Moderate working qualities


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Routing is difficult


Sanding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Difficult to sand


Screwing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Satisfactory screwing properties


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Easy to turn
Difficult to turn


Veneering Qualities
Suitable for peeling
Suitable for slicing
Veneers easily
Veneers moderately easy
Diifficult to veneer


Steam Bending
Moderate
Poor
Good


Painting
Satisfactory results


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results