| OTHER COMMON NAMES: |
| Palo morado (Mexico), Morado (Panama, Venezuela),
Tananeo (Columbia), Koroboreli (Guyana), Purperhart
(Surinam), Amarante (French Guiana), Pau roxo, Guarabu
(Brazil), Violetwood (English trade). |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| Center of distribution in the north-middle part of the Brazilian Amazon region; combined range of all species
from Mexico through Central America and southward to southern Brazil. |
| THE TREE |
| Trees grow to heights of 170 ft with diameters to 4 ft, but usually 1.5 to 3 ft; boles are straight, cylindrical, and clear 60 to 90 ft above
buttresses up to 12 ft. high. |
 |
| DRYING AND SHRINKAGE: |
| Reports vary, from air-dries easily to moderately difficult; dries slowly to fairly rapidly; with almost no degrade to
some warping and splitting Kiln schedule T6-D2 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T3-D1 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to
ovendry: radial 3.2%; tangential 6.1%; volumetric 9.9%. Stability after manufacture or movement is rated as small. |
| DURABILITY |
| Heartwood is rated as highly durable in resistance
to attack by decay fungi; very resistant to dry-wood
termites; but little resistance to marine borers. |
| WORKING PROPERTIES: |
| Moderately difficult to work with either hand or machine
tools, dulls cutters, exudes a gummy resin when
heated by dull tools; slow feed rates and specially
hardened cutters are suggested. Turns smoothly, easy
to glue, and takes finishes well. |
|
|
| LEGUMINOSAE |
 |
| TRADE NAME: |
| PURPLEHEART |
| COLOMBIAN NAME: |
| NAZARENO |
| |
| WOOD PROPERTIES |
| GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS |
| Heartwood brown when freshly cut becoming deep purple
upon exposure, eventually turning to a dark brown sharply
demarcated from the off-white sapwood. Texture medium to
fine; luster medium to high, variable; grain usually straight,
sometimes wavy, roey, or irregular; without distinctive odor or
taste. |
| Weigth: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) varies
with species from 0.67 to 0.91; air-dry density 50 to 66 pcf. |
| PRESERVATION |
| Heartwood is reported to be extremely resistant to
impregnation with preservative oils; sapwood is
permeable. |
| USES |
| Turnery, marquetry, cabinets, fine furniture, parquet
flooring, tool handles, heavy construction,
shipbuilding, many specialty items (billiard cue
butts, chemical vats, carving). |
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