Sickingia spp.

Arariba

Family: Rubiaceae

Other Common Names: Guayatil colorado, Palo colorado (Panama), Brasilete, Carmesi (Colombia), Aguacatire, Paraguata (Venezuela), Palo rosado (Peru), Arareua, Arariba Pau Brasil (Brazil).

Distribution: Continental tropical America from southern Mexico to southern Brazil and Paraguay.

The Tree: Sometimes 65 ft in height with a trunk diameter of 20 in.

The Wood:

General Characteristics: Heartwood rather dark brown, usually poorly developed; sapwood usually becoming red, pink, or violet rose throughout or more often variegated and often fading to yellowish brown on the surface. Luster medium to low; texture rather fine and uniform; grain straight to irregular; odorless when dry, taste slightly bitter.

Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.52; air-dry density 40 pcf.

Mechanical Properties: (2-cm standard)

Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength

(%) (Psi) (1,000 psi) (Psi)

Green (32) 10,800 1,200 5,030

15% 14,400 NA 6,700

Janka side hardness for green material 1,070 lb. Amsler toughness at 15% moisture content 130 in-lb (2-cm specimen).

Drying and Shrinkage: No information available on drying characteristics. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 2.8%; tangential 8.2%; volumetric 10.6%.

Working Properties: Working properties are reported as good.

Durability: Based on a laboratory evaluation, reported to have moderate resistance to attack by decay fungi.

Preservation: Reported to be highly permeable.

Uses: Turnery, boxes and crates, interior trim, millwork, light construction. Wood and bark yield a red dye used commercially.

Additional Reading: (32), (56)

M 150 282-3Logs are delivered to a sawmill in southern Nigeria. African mahogany

(mostly Khaya ivorensis) is in high demand on overseas markets. Export of logs fro

this region, as well as from most other tropical areas, is being restricted.

M 150 282-2Band mills in Ghana are designed to handle logs 5 feet and more in

diameter. Obeche or Wawa (Triplochiton scleroxylon) logs yield lumber favored for

joinery and millwork.

M 150 273-14In many areas of the tropics, fast-growing species are being introduced

future supplies of fuel wood and industrial wood. Batai (Albizia falcataria) is

a favored plantation species in the Philipines.

M 150 273-13 Shores spp. is still the major timber group harvested in Southeast

Asia. With modern chain saws, fellers no longer need scaffolding to get above larg

buttresses.

M 150 281 Felling of white lauan or almon (Shorea a;mon) with axes in the early

1900s in the Philippines. Most hardwood plywood now imported into the USA is

produced from species of Shorea.

[M 150 273-9Plywood mill in San Jose, Costa Rica, produces rotary-cut veneers mostly from banak (Virola spp.) and crabwood or cedro macho (Carapa guianensis). Logs trucked in from the Caribbean coast.]

M 150 273-21Mahot or Tauary (Couratari spp.) grows from Panama south to the Brazilian Amazon. Trunk diameters may exceed 4 feet above the stout buttresses. In tropical American moist forests, single species usually make up less than 5 percent of the stand volume.

M 150 273-18Trees in the tropics yield not only wood but a wide array of gums, oil

resins, tannins, edible fruits, medicinals, latex, fodder, and much more. The para

rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) at the end of its tapping life is used to produce

attractive wood suitable for furniture components.

M 150 272-14Some European markets still prefer hand hewn greenheart (Ocotea rodiaei

for heavy marine construction. Work is being done on a river landing in Guyana.

M 150 272-15 In the highlands of El Salvador, ocote pine (Pinus ococarpa) is cut in

boards by pit sawing. Finished lumber is sent down the mountainside on the backs o

unattended burros.

M 150 272-15In the highlands of El Salvador, ocote pine (Pinus oocarpa) is cut into

boards by pit sawing. Finished lumber is sent down the mountainside on the backs o

unattended burros.