LOURO (Nectandra spp)
Trade Name
Louro
Scientific Name
Nectandra spp.
Family
LAURACEAE
Common Names
Aguacatillo (Nicaragua); Aguacatillo (Mexico); Aguacatillo (Honduras); Aguacatillo (Cuba); Laurel Negro (Venezuela); Laurel (Venezuela); Jigua (Ecuador); Aguarraz (Colombia); Louro-Preto (Brazil); Louro-Jacaré (Brazil); Louro-Itaúba (Brazil); Louro-Cedro (Brazil); Louro-Canela (Brazil); Louro-Aritu (Brazil); Louro-Abacate (Brazil); Louro (Brazil); Canela-Bosta (Brazil); Canela (Brazil); Canafustula (Brazil); Moena Negra (Peru); Silverballi; Pisi; Ayui Y; Aguacatillo (Ecuador); Moena (Peru); Wane; Tétéroma; Tetruma; Siroballi Tataroe; Quizarrá Amarillo; Laurel Macano; Louro Rosa (Brazil); Laurel Canelo; Laurel Blanco; Laurel (Bolivia); Guaruva (Brazil); Enbuia (Brazil); Embuia Amarela (Brazil); Canela Samambaia (Brazil); Canela Parda; Canela Garuva; Canela Amarela; Canelo (Ecuador); Canela; Brown Silverballi; Brazilian Walnut; Apissi Jaune
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
Nectandra trees are medium sized to large, the wood usually has a spicy scent.
Natural Habitat
Nectandra trees are found growing in a wide variety of habitats.
Natural Distribution
This genus is reported to be present all over the West Indies and Central and South America.
Non Timber Uses
pleasant odor in sawing
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 6 to 10 (medium). Simple perforation plates. Occasionally multiple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits coarse t Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Oil and/or mucilage cells at marginal cells of ray parenchyma. Septate fibers present. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
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Wood Macro Photo Tangential Plane
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Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
Timbers of this genus are reported to aromatic.
Color
The color of the sapwood is not clearly distinct from the heartwood. The heartwood is beige white to golden yellow brown. The color of the wood is reported to vary considerably, in some species (O. neesiana, etc.) ash gray timber is reported.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
The grain can vary from straight to slightly interlocked.
Texture
Texture is reported to be fairly fine to medium.
Luster
It is reported to be high in luster.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
3
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.57
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.62
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
8.1
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.9
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
JUNAC-B
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
2.1
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1022
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
124182
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
535
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
33
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
96
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
422
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
403
Workability
Sawing
Cutting resistance is generally low.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
This species is interesting for peeling and slicing.
Sliced Veneer
This species is interesting for peeling and slicing.
Blunting Effect
The blunting effect can be slight to moderate according to the species.
Planing
Planing operations have no difficulty or difficulties due to interlocked grain.
Nailing
Good nail-holding properties.
Gluing
It is reported to be easy to glue.
Polishing
It is easy to polish.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, boards, flooring, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, light packing, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, matches
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Joists
- 12 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part I-Tropical American Species
Boards
- 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
- 19 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Light Packing
- 46 - ECUADOR, Inventario y Aprovechamiento de los Bosques del Sur Ecuatoriano
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Matches
- 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement
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