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MARUPA (Simarouba amara)
Trade Name
Marupa
Scientific Name
Simarouba amara Aubl.
Family
SIMAROUBACEAE
Common Names
Stavewood; Simarruba; Roba; Pitomba; Pau parahyba; Pasa-ak; Paradise tree; Pao pomba; Mountain damson; Marupauba; Marouba; Malacacheta; Cuna; Bois de cayan; Bois blanc; Bitteresche; Bitterash; Assoumaripa; Adonichi; Simarupa (Guyana); Capulli (Ecuador); Marupa (Colombia); Simaruba (Colombia); Palo Blanco (Colombia); Chiriguamo (Bolivia); Amargo (Bolivia); Marupa (Peru); Xpasak; Tamanqueira (Brazil); Soemaroeba; Simaruba (Venezuela); Simarouba (Guyana); Paraiba; Parahyba; Olivo; Negrito; Megrito; Maruba; Guitarro; Cuña (Ecuador); Chiriuana; Cedro Blanco (Venezuela); Cedro Amargo (Ecuador); Aceituno (Guatemala); Caixeta (Brazil); Simarupa (Brazil); Adoonsidero; Walkara; Soemaroepa; Marupá (Brazil); Brazilian White Pine; Bitterwood; Acajou Blanc; Aruba
Scientific Name Synonyms
Zwingera amara (Aubl.) Willd.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is reported to attain heights of 15 to 25 m, and trunk diameters of about 50 to 80 cm. The trees often develop straight cylindrical boles that are free of branches for more than half of the total height of the tree.
Natural Habitat
Simarouba amara is a pioneer species found in the drier areas of secondary forests. It presents abundant natural regeneration.
Natural Distribution
This species is reported to grow all over tropical America.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels solitary and in short radial multiples. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. I Axial parenchyma apparent with the naked eye. Occasionally axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Axial parenchyma aliform. Axial parenchyma confluent. Axial parenchyma storied. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/o 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays and/or axial elements irregularly storied. Rays storied. Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
Odor is indistinct but it has a bitter taste when fresh.
Color
The sapwood is not distinct. The heartwood is whitish or straw colored.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
7
Grain
The grain is typically straight.
Texture
Texture is medium to coarse, and homogeneous.
Luster
Luster is reported to be rather high.
Natural Durability
It has very low natural resistance to decay, and it is susceptible to attack by termites and dry wood insects.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Internal Growth Stresses
Residual stresses present in the wood may cause the logs to split while sawing.
Resistance To Impregnation
This wood is very easy to treat, with good retention of preservatives.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.39
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.42
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.1
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.1
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
JUNAC-A
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
2.3
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
788
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
85733
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
366
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
41
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
54
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
201
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
351
Workability
Sawing
The wood has low resistance to sawing, but freshly felled logs may split due to internal stresses.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
The very well shaped logs are reported to peel and slice easily.
Sliced Veneer
The very well shaped logs are reported to peel and slice easily.
Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on cutting tools is reported to be very slight.
Machining
The timber is reported to work easily in planing and all machining operations to yield smooth and clean surfaces.
Planing
The timber is reported to plane easily and yielding smooth and clean surfaces.
Turning
30
Nailing
Nail holding properties are described as fair to poor because of its softness.
Gluing
The timber is reported to bond well with all types of industrial adhesives.
Sanding
Sanding qualities are rated as good.
Finishing
Grain filling is reported to give the best surface finishing results.
Response To Hand Tools
The timber is reported to respond well to hand tools.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, frames, panelling, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, common furniture, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, faces, Decorative veneer, TURNING, TOOLS, tool handles, PACKING, light packing, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, shoes, matches, door core, moldings
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Boards
- 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
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.
Furniture, Common
- 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Faces
- 26 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
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)
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Light Packing
- 46 - ECUADOR, Inventario y Aprovechamiento de los Bosques del Sur Ecuatoriano
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Shoes
- 70 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux de l`union francaise
Matches
- 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement
Door Cores
- 76 - Descripción General y Anatómica de 105 Maderas del Grupo Andino.
Molding
- 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão
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