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PúNULA (Quararibea asterolepis)

Trade Name

Púnula

Scientific Name

Quararibea asterolepis Pittier

Family

BOMBACACEAE

Common Names

Punula; Aspai; Guayabo (Panama); Madre De Cacao (Mexico); Veroity (Brazil); Aspaí (Venezuela); Zapotillo (Peru); Zapotillo (Colombia); Púnula (Colombia)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Quararibea stenophylla Pittier; Quararibea asterolepis subsp. Stenophylla

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

Tree size is reported to attain a height of about 18m in the average, with a trunk diameter that can reach up to 45 cm over the buttresses, which can be up to 6 m long. Usually develops a fluted stem.

Natural Distribution

This species occurs in Central and northern South America down to Peru.

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). Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. Paratracheal axial parenchyma thin vasicentric. Axial parenchyma reticulate. Siliceous bodies in the axial parenchyma cells. Axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wide. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Silica bodies in the ray cells. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Non-septate fibers. 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

Odor

Odor and taste are indistinct.

Color

The wood is not clearly differentiated, the heartwood is pale yellow.

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

5

Grain

The grain is usually straight.

Texture

This wood has a somewhat medium texture.

Luster

The wood surface is moderate in luster.

Natural Durability

The wood is non-durable when exposed to the weather.

Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)

5

Wood Physical Properties

Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)

0.49

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

0.53

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

7.1

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

3.9

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Timber of heavy Cordia is reported to be difficult to dry. Drying Defects: It develops surface checking and end splitting.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

JUNAC-A

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

1.8

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

767

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

107000

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

422

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

70

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

85

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

509

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

458

Workability

Machining

It is easy to machine.

Turning

30

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, fittings, shutter boards, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, TURNING, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Fittings
  • 19 - Silica in Timbers
Shutter Boards
  • 20 - Prospect: The wood database
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Cabinet
  • 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Turning
  • 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
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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