| OTHER COMMON NAMES: |
| Palo de cera, Palo de culebra (Mexico), Gusanero
(Colombia), Gateado (Venezuela), Guarita (Brazil), Guasango
(Ecuador). |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| Goncalo Alves is a common tree in the upland forests of many regions from Mexico and Central America
through to Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, and Ecuador. |
| THE TREE |
| Attains diameters of 24 to 40 in. or more and a maximum height of 120 ft. Except for narrow buttress flanges 4 to 6 ft tall, it has a
clear cylindrical trunk for two thirds or more of its height. The logs are typically sound throughout. |
 |
| DRYING AND SHRINKAGE: |
| Moderately difficult to season. Some crook and bow accompanied by a slight tendency to twist, checking
slight. Air-dries at a fast to moderate rate. A kiln schedule similar to T3-C2 has been suggested. Shrinkage
green to ovendry: radial 4.0%; tangential 7.6%; volumetric 10.0%; slightly higher for Brazilian material.. |
| DURABILITY |
| Laboratory tests indicate the heartwood to be very
durable in resistance to both white-rot and brownrot
organisms. These results substantiate the reputed
high durability of this species. |
| WORKING PROPERTIES: |
| it is not difficult to work in spite of its high density,
finishes very smoothly, and takes a high polish. The
wood weathers well and is highly resistant to moisture
absorption. It is reported to be difficult to glue. |
|
|
| ANACARDIACEAE |
 |
| TRADE NAME: |
| GONCALO ALVES, TIGERWOOD |
| COLOMBIAN NAME: |
| SANTACRUZ |
| |
| WOOD PROPERTIES |
| GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS |
| When fresh, the heartwood is russet brown, orange brown, or
reddish brown to red with narrow to wide irregular stripes of
medium to very dark brown. After exposure it becomes brown,
red, or dark reddish brown with nearly black stripes. The dingy
grayish or brownish-white sapwood, 2 to 4 in. wide, is sharply
demarcated. Grain variable, straight to roey; texture fine to medium,
uniform; no distinctive odor or taste. The wood often has
a striking figure caused by irregular dark longitudinal bands. |
| Weigth: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) averages 0.84 for
timber from Honduras and Venezuela; material from Brazil and Colombia
averages 0.75. Average air-dry density is about 60 pcf from these
four sources. |
| PRESERVATION |
| Using either hot and cold bath or pressure-vacuum
systems, sapwood absorbs only 2 to 4 pcf of preserving
oils; heartwood absorbed one-half of this
amount. |
| USES |
| Among the most outstanding heavy, durable construction
timbers, also highly favored as a fine furniture and
cabinet wood. Cut for decorative veneers. it is used
for specialty items such as knife handles, brush backs,
archery bows, billiard cue butts, turnery, and carving. |
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