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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Abrasion Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Weathering Scientific Name Couratari pulchra Trade Name Capa de tabaco Family Name Lecythidaceae Common Names Capa de tabaco, Coco cabuyo, Congolo garapelo, Couatari, Imbirema, Ingiepipa, Ingipipa, Inguipipa, Mahot, Mahot cigare, Tabari, Tampipio, Tauari, Tauary, Wadara Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Balusters, Beams, Bent Parts, Boat building, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, General carpentry, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Moldings, Railroad ties Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Various species in the genus Couratari are distributed from Costa Rica and Panama, southward to the Guianas and the Amazon region of Brazil. Heartwood Color Yellow Brown Tan Yellowish tinge White to cream Sapwood Color Brown Yellow Grain Even Straight Interlocked Straight to interlocked Texture Fine Medium to coarse Luster Medium Natural Durability Durable Very durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Very little natural resistance Susceptible to termite and dry wood insect attack Weathering Excellent Odor Fetid odor Silica Content Likely to have significant impact on machining Contains high levels of silica (> 0.8% of dry weight) Drying Defects Distortion Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Ease of Drying Thick Stock Requires Care Moderately Difficult to Difficult Requires special attention Slowly Moderate Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that the species is an important source of timber. The timber is exported in low quantities. Blunting Effect Moderate to severe Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw May require specially-tipped cutters Gluing Glues well Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Holds satisfactorily Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Specially-tipped cutters recommended Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Abrasion High Resistance to Impregnation Permeable Response to Hand Tools Responds Poorly Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Strength Properties Resists denting and marring Heavy Hardness (side grain) = hard Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9055 13250 psi Crushing Strength 549 843 psi Density 42 lbs/ft3 Hardness 862 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4175 7311 psi Shearing Strength 1352 psi Static Bending 5282 9486 psi Stiffness 1695 1764 1000 psi Toughness 122 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 8 12 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.46 0.52 Weight 35 29. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 636 931 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 38 59 kg/cm2 Density 673 kg/m3 Hardness 391 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 293 514 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 95 kg/cm2 Static Bending 371 666 kg/cm2 Stiffness 119 124 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 140 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.56 0.84 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.46 0.52 Weight 560 464. kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant, and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-marne, CEDEX, France. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Maeglin, R., C. K. Baah, G. Troemmer, J. D. Danielson, and S. P. Loehnertz. 1989. Pre-project Report: Sawing of Difficult Species. Prepared for International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Wangaard, F.F., and A.F. Muschler. 1952. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume III, No. 98. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.