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BáLSAMO (Myroxylon peruiferum)
Trade Name
Bálsamo
Scientific Name
Myroxylon peruiferum L. f.
Family
LEGUMINOSAE
Common Names
Quina Morada (Argentina); Estoraque (Venezuela); Sándalo (Ecuador); Olor (Colombia); Chana (Bolivia); Palo Trébol (Bolivia); Bálsamo (Brazil); Bálsamo (Colombia); Bálsamo Del Perú (Peru); Estoraque (Peru)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Myrospermum pedicellatum Lam.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a medium size tree, attaining heights of 10 to 20 m and diameters of 60 to 80 cm.
Natural Habitat
Myroxylon peruiferum is found in the primary and secondary tropical and subtropical forests of America.
Natural Distribution
This species is reported to be widely distributed all over the tropical South America. In Brazil it is reported to occur mostly in the Parana basin, the Atlantic rainforest and the Amazon region.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels solitary and in short radial multiples. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 to 150 micras (small). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less (very small). Colored deposits in heartwood vessels. Vessels per mm2 10 Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma storied. Two cells per parenchyma strand. Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Rays storied. Rays commonly 2 seriate. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
Odor or taste are absent.
Color
The sapwood is pale brown, the heartwood is purplish red color.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
The grain is mostly interlocked.
Texture
The wood is mostly medium in texture.
Luster
The wood luster is reported to be rather moderate.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
2
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.80
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.91
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
6.5
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.2
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: It is reported to air season at a moderate rate. Drying Defects: Little tendency to warp or check. Somewhat conspicuous sticker marks are often reported after drying.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
JUNAC-B
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.5
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1340
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
175000
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
714
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
163
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
1143
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
1112
Workability
Sawing
Sawing operations are rated as fair to difficult.
Planing
Planing operations are rated as fair.
Moulding
Molding is reported to be easy.
Turning
30
Boring
It is easy to bore.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, beams, flooring, parquet, steps, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, Decorative veneer, TURNING, TOOLS, tool handles
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Parquet
- 15 - Empire Timbers
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Decorative veneer
- 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Tool Handles
- 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
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