| OTHER COMMON NAMES: |
| Chicozapote (Mexico), Ausubo (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic),
Nispero (Panama), Beefwood (Guyana), Bolletri
(Surinam), Balata rouge (French Guiana), Macaranduba
(Brazil). |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| Widely distributed throughout the West Indies, Central America, and northern South America; occurs in
many forest types and not exacting as to soil or topography. Locally frequent. |
| THE TREE |
| Well-formed tree reaching heights of 100 to 150 ft and diameters of 2 to 4 ft, occasionally up to 6 ft or more. Boles straight and clear
to 60 ft, often basally swollen. |
 |
| DRYING AND SHRINKAGE: |
| Balata or bulletwood is generally reported to be a difficult wood to air-season, tending to develop severe checking
and warp. However, if piled to assure a slow rate of drying, degrade can be kept to a minimum. A kiln schedule
similar to T1-B1 has been suggested. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 6.3%; tangential 9.4%; volumetric 16.9%. |
| DURABILITY |
| Very resistant to attack by decay fungi; highly resistant
to subterranean termites and moderately
resistant to dry-wood termites. Not resistant to
marine borer attack. |
| WORKING PROPERTIES: |
| The wood is moderately easy to work despite its
high density, rated good to excellent in all operations.
Gluing requires special care to acquire good
bond. Steam-bending properties are rated excellent. |
|
|
| SAPOTACEAE |
 |
| TRADE NAME: |
| BALATA, MASSARANDUBA, BULLETWOOD |
| COLOMBIAN NAME: |
| NISPERO |
| |
| WOOD PROPERTIES |
| GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS |
| Heartwood light to dark reddish brown, distinct but not
sharply demarcated from the whitish or pale brown sapwood.
Texture fine and uniform luster low to medium; grain straight
to occasionally slightly wavy or interlocked; without distinctive
odor or taste. |
| Weigth: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.85;
air-dry density 66 pcf. |
| PRESERVATION |
| Has high resistance to absorption of moisture and is
also highly resistant to preservation treatments. |
| USES |
| Heavy construction, textile and pulp mill equipment, furniture
parts, turnery, tool handles, flooring, boat frames and
other bent work, railway crossties, violin bows, billiard
cues, and other specialty uses. Also well known for its
yield of balata or gutta-percha collected from tapped trees. |
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