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TAPIA (Alchornea triplinervia)
Trade Name
Tapia
Scientific Name
Alchornea triplinervia (Spreng.) Mull. Arg.
Family
EUPHORBIACEAE
Common Names
Tapia Guaçu (Brazil); Tapia (Brazil); Samambaia (Brazil); Rapia Guaçu (Brazil); Pau De Bolo (Brazil); Malacacheta (Brazil); Folha De Bolo (Brazil); Canela; Caixeta (Brazil); Boleiro (Brazil); Rapia Mirim (Brazil)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Antidesma triplinervium Spreng.; Antidesma guatemalensis Lundell
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a dominant tree, it attains heights from 15 to 30 m. The bole is 14 m long, with a diameter at breast height between 40 to 100 cm. This species is dioecious, meaning that it has male and female individuals.
Natural Habitat
Alchornea triplinervia is found in rain forests from the sea level up until 1,000 m of altitude, it is also found in the Atlantic rain forest.
Natural Distribution
In Brazil it grows from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul.
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). Tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 6 to 10 (medium). Vessel-ray pits larger than the intervessel pits. Intervessel pits large, 10 Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Non-crystals in axial parenchyma cells. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Rays exclusively uniseriate. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. All ray cells upright and/or square. Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
The wood has no specific odor or taste.
Color
The sapwood is not differentiated. The timber is light gray to light pinkish brown in color.
Texture
Texture is reported to be medium to coarse.
Luster
This wood is frequently low in luster.
Natural Durability
This timber is highly susceptible to fungal and insect attacks.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Resistance To Impregnation
B. excelsa is difficult to treat, with low retention of preservatives.
Wood Physical Properties
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Drying is fairly slow. Drying Defects: Checking, cupping and twisting are reported. Casehardening is also reported.
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Workability
Sawing
Cutting resistance is generally low.
Machining
This species is easy to machine.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, PACKING, light packing
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Joists
- 12 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part I-Tropical American Species
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Light Packing
- 46 - ECUADOR, Inventario y Aprovechamiento de los Bosques del Sur Ecuatoriano
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