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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 Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Silica Content Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Micropholis guianensis Trade Name Grumixava Family Name Sapotaceae Common Names Apixuna, Barilla de agua, Caimitillo, Chupon Colorado, Faux balata, Grumixava, Hacano, Ibira camby, Koes, Koesiri balatarie, Moraballi, Riemhout Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Beams, Bent Parts, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Porch columns, Turnery Environmental Profile Widespread, abundant, and globally secure May be rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery Data source is Nature Conservancy Distribution Overview The species is widely distributed from Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and the Lesser Antilles to Peru, Bolivia, and Espirito Santo, Brazil. Heartwood Color Brown Green/grey Black Red Yellowish-Green hue Pinkish buff Light yellow brown or pale orange brown, eventually aging into deep golden-brown Brown - grey Sapwood Color White Yellow Paler than heartwood Grain Even Straight Slightly figured Generally straight, but not always Texture Fine Medium Fine Luster Low Medium Medium Natural Durability Very durable Durable Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to dry-wood termites Resistant to white-rot fungi and brown-rot fungi Moderately durable Good resistance to marine borers Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content Likely to have significant impact on machining Contains high levels of silica (> 0.5% of dry weight) Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Slight surface checking Slight cupping Moderate twist/warp Case hardening may develop Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Slowly Slow drying in mild conditions yields best results Moderate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 0-10 m Bark width is 0-5 mm Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Blunting Effect Little May be rapid and severe depending on silica amount Boring Straight grained wood bores well Cutting Resistance Straight grained wood has low resistance Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Traight grained material is reported to plane easily to produce smooth surfaces Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Turning Turns with moderate ease Easy to turn Polishing Fair to Good Results Strength Properties Weight = very high Resists denting and marring Hardness (side grain) = medium Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13357 18512 psi Crushing Strength 696 1137 psi Density 48 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1460 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6478 9624 psi Shearing Strength 2107 psi Static Bending 8026 12123 psi Stiffness 2421 2891 1000 psi Toughness 125 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 11 16 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.61 0.67 Weight 52 47 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 14 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 939 1301 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 48 79 kg/cm2 Density 769 kg/m3 Hardness 662 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 455 676 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 148 kg/cm2 Static Bending 564 852 kg/cm2 Stiffness 170 203 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 144 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.77 1.12 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.61 0.67 Weight 833 753 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. 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.