| OTHER COMMON NAMES: |
| Almendro (Costa Rica, Panama), Sarrapia, Choiba
(Venezuela, Colombia), Cumaru (Brazil), Charapilla, Cumarut
(Peru). |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| The Guianas, Venezuela, Colombia, and the Amazon region of Brazil; reaches its best development on
well-drained gravelly or sandy sites. Cultivated in many areas for the tonka beans used as a flavoring. |
| THE TREE |
| A large overstory tree sometimes to 160 ft in height and trunk diameters to 40 in.; unbuttressed cylindrical boles are generally clear to
60 to 80 ft. |
 |
| DRYING AND SHRINKAGE: |
| The wood is rated as easy to air-season with a slight tendency to check and with moderate warping; drying
was uniformly rapid. No dry kiln data available. Shrinkage from green to ovendry: radial 5.0%; tangential
7.6%; volumetric 12.0%. |
| DURABILITY |
| The timbers have a reputation for being very durable.
Laboratory tests also show the heartwood to be
very durable in resistance to both brown-rot and
white rot fungi. The wood has excellent weathering
characteristics. |
| WORKING PROPERTIES: |
| The wood is difficult to saw and bore; where severely
interlocked grain is not present, the wood
planes to a smooth surface. Because of its high density
and oily nature, the wood glues poorly. |
|
|
| LEGUMINOSAE |
 |
| TRADE NAME: |
| CUMARU, TONKA |
| COLOMBIAN NAME: |
| CHOIBA |
| |
| WOOD PROPERTIES |
| GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS |
| Fresh heartwood is reddish brown or purplish brown with light
yellowish-brown or purplish streaks; upon exposure gradually'
becomes uniform light brown or yellowish brown. Sapwood is
distinct, narrow, yellowish brown. Luster rather low to medium;
texture fine; grain interlocked; waxy or oily feel; taste
not distinctive but may have a vanilla-like or rancid odor. |
| Weigth: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) ranges
from 0.80 to 0.91; air-dry density 62 to 81 pcf. |
| PRESERVATION |
| Heartwood absorption and penetration of treating
solutions using both open-tank and pressurevacuum
systems are inadequate. Sapwood is reported
to treat well, particularly with a high endgrain
exposure. |
| USES |
| Heavy construction, cogs and shafts, barge and
dock fenders, flooring, railroad crossties, pulp mill
equipment, tool handles, bearings, turnery. A substitute
for lignum vitae.. |
| |
|
