Search for

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 Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Minquartia guianensis Trade Name Manwood Family Name Olacaceae Common Names Acaiquara, Acapu, Acar-Huacapu, Acaricaara, Acaricoara, Acaricuara, Acarioba, Acariquara, Araciuba, Aralta, Arata minquar, Aratta, Black manwood, Bois agouti, Criollo, Guayacan, Guayacan pech, Guayacan pechiche, Huacapu, Incorruptible, Jewalidanni, Konhout, Konthout, Makka, Manu, Manwood, Mincoa, Mincouart, Minguar, Pachiche, Pechiche, Platano, Punte candado, Urari, Urodibe, Wanania Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Bridge construction, Charcoal, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Factory flooring, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Paneling, Piling, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery, Utility poles, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative, Walking sticks Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The species occurs in Central and South America, and extends from Nicaragua to Ecuador and eastward into the Guianas and Brazil. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Purple Black Pink Orange Greenish to greyish Brown Pale brown Dark to light olive brown streaked with black Dark brown Sapwood Color Yellow White Brown Green/Grey Red Pink White to yellow Different than heartwood Grain Straight Interlocked Even Closed Wavy Straight Interlocked Wavy Generally straight, but not always Figure if often slightly roey Texture Medium Coarse Fine Fine Fine to medium Medium Luster Medium High Lustrous Low Dull Natural Durability Resistant to termites Durable Susceptible to insect attack Very durable Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to powder post beetles Perishable Moderately durable Non-durable Resistant to powder post beetles Very durable Durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to marine borer attack Weathering properties are excellent Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Odor Has an odor Has a taste No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a moderate speed Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight end splitting No surface checking No end splitting Moderate surface checking Moderate end spitting Slight spring/bow No cupping, generally Moderate twist/warp Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Slowly Thick Stock Requires Care Difficult Moderate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is fluted Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 15-20 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Generally strong, hard, and heavy Used for crossties, utility poles, fence posts, and heavy construction Blunting Effect High to severe Moderate Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Moderate to saw Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planing Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Easy to machine Difficult to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good sanding finish Screwing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Veneering Qualities Veneers moderately easy Veneers easily No drying degrade Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Staining Fair to Good Results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Max. crushing strength = very high Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Hardness (side grain) = medium Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Radial = large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Weight = very high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Resists denting and marring Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 14193 21135 psi Crushing Strength 1450 2251. psi Density 55 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1925 lbs Impact Strength 54 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 6835 10420 psi Shearing Strength 882 psi Static Bending 8859 12436 psi Stiffness 2118 2376 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 7 12 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.68 0.83 Weight 54 42 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 14 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 997 1485 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 101 158. kg/cm2 Density 881 kg/m3 Hardness 873 kg Impact Strength 137 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 480 732 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 62 kg/cm2 Static Bending 622 874 kg/cm2 Stiffness 148 167 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.49 0.84 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.68 0.83 Weight 865 673 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Acosta-Solis, M.,1960,Maderas Economicas del Ecuador y sus Usos,Editorial Casa de la Culhra Ecuatoriana Quito Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Falla Ramirez, A.,1971,Resultados de los estudios Fisico-Mecanicos de 41 especies Maderables de,la,region Carare-Opon. (Results of studies of the physical and mechanical,properties of 41 timber species of the Carare-Opon region.,Inst. de Desarrollo de los Recursos Naturales Renovables. Div. For.,Pleagble Divulgativo, Inderena Colombia,pp6 Fanshawe, D.B.,1954,Forest Products of British Guiana Part 1 Principal Timbers,Forest Department British Guiana Forestry Bulletin (New Series 2nd,Edition,No.1 Hoheisel, H., Karstedt, P.,1967,Identification of Ecuadorian Wood Sp. for possibilities of Utilization on,the basis of Technological Results,Institito Forestal Latino-Americana Merida Venezuala Kribbs, D.A. 1959. Commercial Foreign Woods on the American Market. Buckhout Lab., Dept. of Botany, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Little, E.L.,1948,A Collection of Tree Specimens from Western Ecuador,Caribbean Forester,9(3,pp215-98 Loureiro, A.A., Freitas da Silva, M.,1968,Catalogo das Madeiras da Amazonia (2 vols,Min. do Ultramar Belem Brasil Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press Record, S.J.,1938,The American Woods of the Orders Celastrales, Olacales and Santalales,Tropical Woods,7(53,pp11-38 Scheffer, T.C., Duncan, C.G.,1947,The Decay Resistance of certain Central American and Ecuadorian Woods,Tropical Woods,12(92, PP1-24 Surinam Forest Service,1952,Surinam Timber - A Summary with brief descriptions of the main timber,species of Surinam,Surinam Forest Service 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 Timber Development Association Ltd.,1948,Notes on Ecuadorian Timbers,TRADA, Timber Information,35,pp5 Tropical Woods,1926,The 'Manwood' (Minquartia guianensis) of Panama,Tropical Woods 1(8) pp10-11 Villamil, F.G.,1971,Maderas Colombianas,Proexpo Colombia Volkart, C.,1965,Recopilacion dedatos sobre propiedacies y usos maderos del Bosque Tropical,de las Costa Atlantica de Nicaragua,Turrialba,15(1, pp43-57 Wangaard, F.F. and A. Kochler and A. F. Muschler. 1954. Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods IV, Tropical Woods, No. 99, Yale University Press, School of Forestry, New Haven, Connecticut. Wangaard, F.F., et al,1954,Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods 4,Tropical Woods,14(99, pp1-187