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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 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 Painting 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 Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Phyllostylon brasiliensis Trade Name San Domingo boxwood Family Name Ulmaceae Synonyms Samaroceltis rhamnoides Common Names Baitoa, Bois Blanc, Boxwoad, Canche, Cara tibama, Ceron, Ibira-catu, Ibiracatu, Jatia, Membrillo, Ot-te, Otelom, Palo amarillo, Palo blanco, Palo de Ianza Blanco, Palo de lanza, Palo de lanza blanco, Palo lanza, Palo lanza negro, Pan branco, Pau branco, Sabonero, San Domingo boxwood, Seron, Tala grande, Vareteiro, West Indian boxwood, Yao-si-y-guazu, Yva-si-yguazu Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela Common Uses Agricultural implements, Bobbins, Carvings, Chessmen, Croquet mallets, Drum sticks, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Mathematical instruments, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Organ pipes, Piano keys, Pianos , Plywood, Railroad ties, Rulers, Scientific instruments, Shafts/Handles, Shuttles, Sills, Sounding boards, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Sporting Goods, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative, Violin bows, Violin, Xylophones Environmental Profile Rare Status within its natural growth range has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The species grows from Cuba, Hispaniola, and southern Mexico to Colombia, Venezuela, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. It is often found in pure stands. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Orange White Purple Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Brown Pale brown The color of the heartwood is described as lemon yellow, sometimes with a tinge of brown. Dark streaks are occasionally present Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown White to yellow Yellowish Whitish Grain Straight Wavy Figure Closed Even Interlocked Straight Wavy Interlocked The grain is fairly straight but may be irregular Texture Coarse Medium Fine Fine Uniform Luster Medium Low Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Whitish deposits in vessels Natural Durability Moderately durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Perishable Non-resistant to marine borers Non-durable Durable Non-resistant to termites Durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Moderately durable Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed US=T2B2 Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Reconditioning Treatement Slowly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is fluted Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bark width is 30-40 mm The tree reaches a height of about 80 feet, with a trunk diameter of 30 inches (75 cm). It develops boles that are described as irregular or fluted. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good The wood is similar in properties to other Boxwoods (Buxus , Gossypiospermum ). Boxwood was originally the trade name of Buxus sempervirens from Europe and eastern Asia. The trade name has been extended to include other species that are botanically dissimilar but which resemble true boxwood in general characteristics. San Domingo boxwood (Phyllostylon brasiliensis ) is among the more important of the boxwood-like species Blunting Effect Little Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to carve Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gum-Up Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Moderate to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good mortising properties Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moulds well (70+ % of pieces will yield good to excellent results) Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Holds nails well Possible if prebored Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane The material is reported to plane without difficulty Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routs well Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding operations are not usually difficult Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Easy to turn Excellent Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Painting Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Polishing Satisfactory results Good results Material takes a high polish Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Finish is generally satisfactory Staining (Characteristic) = coloured water-soluble extract Varnishing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Strength Properties 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = small Moderate Large Fairly large 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. The weight is very high. The species has very high density. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 58 lbs/ft3 Specific Gravity 0.71 Weight 57 46 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Density 929 kg/m3 Specific Gravity 0.71 Weight 913 737 kg/m3 References 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 Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1954,Mukulungu (Autranella congolensis,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,36,pp25-28 Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Celulosa Argentina,1973,Libro del Arbol,Celulosa Argentina Buenos Aires 3 Vols Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Fors, A.J.,1965,Maderas Cubanas,Inst. Nac. Ref. Agraria La Habara HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer, Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Koehler, A.,1928,Tests on six Argentina Woods,Tropical Wood 2(14) pp15-20 Pennington, T.D., Sarukhan, J.,1968,Manual para la Identificacion de campo de los Principales Arboles,Tropicales de Mexico,Inst. Nac. Inv. For. Mexico Record, S.J., Garratt, G.A.,1925,Boxwoods,Yale University School of Forestry Bulletin,No.14 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 Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Schiffino, J.,1945,Riqueza Forestal Dominicana (Three volumes,Secretaria de Estado de Agric. Ind. y Trabajo Slooten van der, H.J., Martinez, E.P.,1940,Mechanisch-technologische Untersuchungen von zwei weiteren Chileniscen,Nutzholzern,Reprint from Kolonialforstliche Mitteilungen,2(4,pp361-77 Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Tortorelli, L.,1956,Maderas y Bosques Argentinos,Editorial Acme S.A.C.I. Buenos Aires Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series