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MORA (Mora megistosperma)

Trade Name

Mora

Scientific Name

Mora megistosperma (Pittier) Britton & Rose

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

Pracuuba-Vermelha (Brazil); Pracuuba-Da-Várzea (Brazil); Pracuuba-Amarela (Brazil); Pracuuba (Brazil); Praculiba-Branca (Brazil); Mora (Venezuela); Nato (Ecuador); Alcornoque (Colombia); Mangle Nato (Colombia); Alcornoque (Panama); Alcornoque (Costa Rica); Pracouba (Brazil); Nato (Colombia); Paracuuba (Brazil)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Mora oleifera (Triana ex Hemsl.) Ducke; Dimorphandra oleifera Triana ex Hemsl.; Dimorphandra megistosperma Pittier

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

Tree size is reported to attain a height of about 30 m, with a trunk diameter that can reach up to 80 or 100 cm over the buttresses. The boles are cylindrical or sometimes irregular, with commercial lengths of about 15 m. It presents slim and tall buttres

Natural Habitat

Mora megistosperma occurs gregariously in the varzea forests and in swampy areas along river banks and temporarily inundated forests. It is also reported growing at the sea level in tidal areas and in mangrove forests.

Natural Distribution

Central and northern South America. It is reported in Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador.

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Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Vessels solitary and in short radial multiples. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. Intervessel Axial parenchyma apparent with the naked eye. Axial parenchyma lozenge-aliform. Axial parenchyma confluent. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.

  • Wood Macro Photo Tangential Plane
  • Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is pinkish white, the heartwood is yellowish red with a dark brown tinge.

COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)

4

Grain

This species is reported to have interlocked grain.

Texture

The wood is mostly medium in texture.

Luster

The wood surface is described as moderate in luster.

Natural Durability

It is resistant to decay, dry wood insects and termites attack.

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)

0.72

Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)

0.81

Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

7.2

Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

4.0

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: The rate of drying is reported to be slow to moderate. Drying Defects: Twisting and cupping are reported.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

UK-B; US-T2-C2

Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)

1.8

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)

1265

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

155000

Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

606

Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

94

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

96

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

560

Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)

760

Workability

Sawing

Sawing of this species is reported to be rather difficult.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

It is not suitable for plywood because of its high density.

Sliced Veneer

It is not suitable for plywood because of its high density.

Blunting Effect

Wood of this species produces a moderate blunting effect.

Planing

The timber is reported to plane with moderate difficulty because of interlocked grain. A reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended.

Turning

30

Nailing

Good nail-holding, pre-boring is necessary.

Gluing

This species has a fair behavior in gluing.

Sanding

The material is reported to sand with moderate difficulty.

Finishing

This wood yields a smooth surface in finishing.

Steam Bending

Bending properties are reportedly moderate.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

EXTERIOR GENERAL, bridges, poles, crossties, HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, steps, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, TURNING, TOOLS, agricultural tools, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boats, port pillar, port storage, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts

Exterior General
  • 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
Bridges
  • 2 - 25 madeiras da amazonia de valor comercial, caracterizacao, macroscopica, usos comuns e indices qualificativos
Poles
  • 3 - Estudo dendrologico e determinacao das caracteristicas fisicas e mecanicas do genipapo (Genipa americana)
Crossties
  • 8 - Maderas latinoamericas. III, Podocarpus standleyi ,Podocarpus oleifolius, Drims granadensis, Magnolia poasana y Didymopanax pittieri
General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
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
Turning
  • 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Tools
  • 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Agricultural Tools
  • 44 - Atlas of Peruvian Woods
Truck Body
  • 53 - Timbers of the New World
Shipbuilding
  • 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boats
  • 56 - Manual de Identificación de Especies Forestales de la Subregión Andina.
Port Pillar
  • 61 - Manual de Diseño para Maderas del Grupo Andino
Port Storage
  • 62 - Estudio Tecnológico de Maderas del Perú (Zona Pucallpa) Vol I
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)

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