Common Names:   Apixuna Barilla de agua Caimitillo Chupon Colorado Faux balata Grumixava Hacano Ibira camby Koes Koesiri balatarie Moraballi Riemhout Purchase Moraballi

Mechanical Values

Environmental Profile
This species is reported to be generally widespread, abundant, and secure globally, although it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery (Source - The Nature Conservancy -Rank of relative endangerment based mainly on the number of occurrences of the species worldwide)

Distribution
The species is reported to be widely distributed from Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and the Lesser Antilles to Peru, Bolivia, and Espirito Santo, Brazil.

Product Sources
It is currently unknown whether material from this species is available from sustainably managed, recycled, salvaged, or other environmentally responsible sources.

Tree Data
Micropholis trees are reported to reach heights of 100 to 120 feet or more. Trunks are usually clear to 40 to 70 feet (12 to 21 m), with diameters of 36 to 40 inches (90 to 100 cm) above moderately high buttresses.

Sapwood Color
The sapwood has the same color as the heartwood, but it is paler.

Heartwood Color
The heartwood is yellow- to gray-brown with a rather pinkish tinge, sometimes with a yellowish-green hue.

Grain
The grain is typically straight. The wood is reported to be slightly figured.

Texture
The wood is fine-textured.

Luster
Luster is medium.

Odor
There is no distinctive odor or taste.

Ease of Drying
Air-seasoning is rated as moderately difficult. Slower drying under mild conditions is recommended to keep degrade at a minimum.

Drying Defects
The material may end- and surface-check in air-drying. Moderate crook, slight cup and twist, and slight casehardening may also develop.

T/R Ratio
1.47
This indicator is more meaningful if it is used together with other drying information and actual shrinkage data in the tangential and radial directions. (Refer to the Numerical Values window).

Natural Durability
The timber is reported to be only moderately resistant to decay. It is rated as fairly resistant to attack by white-rot fungi, and very resistant to attack by brown-rot fungi. It is vulnerable to attack by dry-wood termites and its resistance to marine borer attack is reported to be variable.

Resistance to Impregnation
The sapwood response to preservative treatment is reported to be moderate.

Silica Content
Micropholis timbers are reported to contain varying amounts of silica. Levels of 0.2 to 0.5% (of ovendry weight) have been reported. A silica level of 0.05% is usually considered to be enough to affect the machining properties of wood.

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect may be rapid and severe depending upon the amount of silica in the wood.

Cutting Resistance
Wood with straight grain is reported to be easy to saw.

Planing
Straight grained material is reported to plane easily to produce smooth surfaces.

Turning
The timber is rated as easy to moderately difficult to work in many operations, including turning, moulding, mortising, routing, and sanding.

Boring
Straight grained wood is reported to bore to produce smooth surfaces.

Strength Properties
The species has very high bending strength, and is much stronger than Teak in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content). It has superior properties in compression parallel to grain in the air-dry condition than Teak, White oak, or Hard maple. Hardness is rated as medium. It resists denting and marring about as well as white oak or birch. It is a very heavy wood. The wood is high in density.