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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Licania platypus Trade Name Monkey apple Family Name Chrysobalanaceae Common Names Monkey apple, Socotz Regions of Distribution Central America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama Common Uses Shingles, Veneer Distribution Overview Licania species are widely distributed in tropical America but most abundant in the Guianas and the lower Amazon region of Brazil. Frequent in the overflow woodlands of the Amazon estuary but also in upland forests. Heartwood Color Pale red to pink Pale brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Even Figure Interlocked Straight Growth rings (figure) Straight Interlocked Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Coarse Medium coarse to coarse Luster Lustrous Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) Moderately durable Kiln Schedules Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Slight surface checking No twisting or warping No cupping, generally Generally free from spring and bow Ease of Drying Easy Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Blunting Effect Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is mild Boring Easy Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Mortising Finishes well Nailing Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Resistance to Splitting Satisfactory Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Routing & Recessing Routing yields good results Routing is easy Turning Good results Easy to turn Polishing Fair to Good Results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 47 lbs/ft3 Weight 46 37 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Density 753 kg/m3 Weight 737 592 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Belize,1946,42 Secondary Hardwood Timbers of British Honduras,British Honduras Forest Department Bulletin,No.1