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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. 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 Luster Mortising Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Couma macrocarpa Trade Name Cow tree Family Name Apocynaceae Common Names Ama apa, Ama-apa, Avichuri, Caw tree, Cow tree, Cuma assu, Cuma-assu, Cumá assú, Dukaballi, Guaimaro macho, Hosca, Leche caspi, Leche-caspi, Melk boom, Milktree, Palo de vaca, Pendare, Perillo, Perillo negro, Popa, Purva, Sorva, Vaca, Vacahosca Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Colombia, Columbia, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Beams, Bent Parts, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Core Stock, Decks, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Fiberboard, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Office furniture, Packing cases, Particleboard, Plain veneer, Veneer Environmental Profile Status unknown in many of its growth areas Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview An Amazonian species but also found in the Carare-Opon and Serrania de San Lucas regions of the Rio Magdalena in Colombia. Found mostly in low areas. Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, Peru, and Brazil. Heartwood Color White Yellow Green/grey Orange White to cream Pinkish tinge Pale red to pink Pale brown Dark cream Sapwood Color Yellow White Same as heartwood Pinkish Cream to pale-brown Grain Even Closed Straight Interlocked Wavy Straight Occasionally wavy Interlocked Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Coarse Fine Medium Luster Low Medium Lustrous Low Natural Durability Perishable Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Non-durable Non-resistant to marine borers Non durable Susceptible to blue and sap-stain Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Ease of Drying Rapidly Easy Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 0-10 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Boring Good results Carving Easy to carve Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Worked surfaces tend to be woolly Easy to mortise Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good nailing properties Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Torn grain common in quartersawn material Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable Heartwood is permeable Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Routing yields good results Sanding Good sanding finish Screwing Good screwing properties Easy to screw Turning Easy to turn Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = small Resists denting and marring Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = medium Density = high Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10376 16187 psi Density 38 lbs/ft3 Hardness 960 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4911 7149 psi Specific Gravity 0.46 Weight 36 29 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 729 1138 kg/cm2 Density 608 kg/m3 Hardness 435 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 345 502 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.46 Weight 576 464 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department 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