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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 Comments Common Names Common Uses Corrosive Properties 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 Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Ocotea rodiaei Trade Name Greenheart Family Name Lauraceae Synonyms Nectandra leucantha, Nectandra rodiaei, Nectandra rodioei, Ocotea rodiaei, Ocotea rodiei Common Names Achiamandola, Bebeeree, Bebeereen, Bebeeru, Beberu, Beberubaum, Beberuboom, Beeberoe, Bibiju, Bibir, Bibira, Bibiri, Bibiro, Bibiroo, Bibiru, Bibirubaum, Biburu, Black greenheart, Brown greenheart, Bull forehead greenheart, Cipiri, Cogwood, Demerara, Demerara greenheart, Demerara groenhart, Detema, Geelhart, Greenheart, Groen hart, Groenhartboom, Gruenherzbaum, Grunherzbaum, Grunholz, Ispingo moena, Itauba, Itaube, Kevatuk, Kut, Kwatuk, Kwatuk sipu, Maratakka, Pakouli, Queenwood, Rora, Rora-ek, Sepeira, Sepeiro, Sepira, Sipira, Sipiri, Sipiroe, Sipu, Supeira, Torchwood, Tugui, Tugul, Viruviru, Wainop, White greenheart, Yellow greenheart Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Bahamas, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Agricultural implements, Barge fenders, Billiard-cue butts, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Bobbins, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Construction, Decks, Docks, Dockwork, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Filter press plates, Fishing rods, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Harbor work, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Lock gates, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Naval architecture, Picker sticks, Pile-driver cushions, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Raft floats, Rafts, Railroad ties, Shade rollers, Shuttles, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Sporting Goods, Stencil & chisel blocks, Structural work, Sub-flooring, Sucker rods, Tool handles, Turnery, Umbrella handles , Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative, Wharf construction, Wheel spokes Environmental Profile Vulnerable Abundant/Secure Status unknown due to inadequate information Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview The natural range of the species includes Guyana, Surinam, and Venezuela. It is also reported to occur from the Maroni region of western French Guyana to northern Brazil. Commercial quantities are found in the northern and central regions of Guyana Heartwood Color Brown Black Red Green/grey Greenish to greyish Dark brown Black Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale brown Brown Yellowish to greenish Olive - light Olive - dark Light reddish-brown to yellowish-brown Decayed or defective logs have a yellowish color. Sapwood Color Yellow White Red Brown Pink White to yellow Different than heartwood Paler than heartwood Pale yellow Not clearly differentiated from the heartwood Greenish tinge Grain Straight Figure Other (figure) Interlocked Distinct (figure) Even Closed Wavy Weak (figure) Straight Other figure Interlocked Distinct figure Weak figure Wavy Straight to roey Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Medium Coarse Fine Fine to medium Medium Uniform Medium coarse to coarse Generally free from knots and other defects Luster Low Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Gum and mineral deposits Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Moderately durable Non-durable Very durable Perishable Non-resistant to termites Resistant to termites Resistant to powder post beetles Very durable Resistant to attack from marine borers Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to marine borer attack Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Suitable for marine applications Sapwood is vulnerable to attack by pinhole borers Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) often present in the standing tree Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Moderately resistant to marine borer attack Heartwood has excellent resistance to pinhole borers, marine borers, and dry-wood termites Greenheart is acidic, and has a slight corrosive effect on iron and iron compounds under moist conditions. Odor Seasoned material has no specific odor or taste Corrosive Properties Non-corrosive Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Respiratory effects Non-toxic Sawdust can cause irritation in some individuals Wood splinters are also poisonous. Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2 Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is slow UK=C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3 T2 - C2 (4/4); T2 - C1 (8/4) US Schedule B - United Kingdom Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Checking Splitting Distortion Internal Honeycombing Possible Moderate end spitting Moderate surface checking Slight twist/warp Severe surface checking Severe end splitting Moderate twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight end splitting Degrade can be considerable especially in thick material. Warping is slight but the material has a marked tendency to check and end-split. Existing shakes may extend and knots may split. Ease of Drying Slowly Rapidly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Difficult Moderate Easy Dries slowly with some degrade Thicker stock (over 1 inch or 25 mm) should be air-dried before kiln drying. Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Very slow Drying rate is slow Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 0-10 m Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Large evergreen trees with unbutressed base Product Sources The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced at a regular rate. Exportation is also regular. Greenheart is marketed principally in Europe, with only limited quantities coming to the US market. It is available only in the lumber form from a few principal importers, and is typically priced in the expensive range. Substitutes The following species in the database is superior to Greenheart Tonka (Dipteryx odorata) is similar in all properties except hardness and strength in tension perpendicular to grain. Bulletwood (Manilkara bidentata) is equal or superior to Greenheart in resistance to shock, hardness, shear strength, and strength in bending: Okan (Cylicodiscus gabunensis) is also a possible substitute. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good General finishing qualities are rated as poor Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe Moderate to high blunting effect on cutting edges Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Fair to good results Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Poor carving characteristics Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cutting resistance is generally high, and logs tend to split with considerable force and noise in the initial stages of sawing. To prevent this a chain is usually wrapped around the sawed section of the log. Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to glue Good gluing properties Difficult to glue Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Difficult moulding qualities The timber is difficult to work in moulding, mortising, boring, and routing operations. End grain material is liable to break out or splinter. Splinters are poisonous Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Medium Seasoned timber is reported to undergo moderate dimensional changes in response to fluctions in atmospheric conditions. Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Possible if prebored Pre-boring recommended Nails hold poorly Difficult to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Ease of planing is moderate Easy to plane Special attention required Planes well, to a good finish A reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended for planing because of interlocked grain and high density. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood