Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size		Scientific Name Swartzia benthamiana Trade Name Bannia Family Name Caesalpiniaceae Common Names Alma Negra, Bannia, Black paddlewood, Ferreol, Gandoe, Icoje, Ijzerhart, Montouchy, Mututy, Naranjillo, Orura Barrialera, Parakusan, Pau Ferro, Wamara, Wild orange Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Columbia, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Bedroom suites, Bobbins, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Inlay work, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Musical instruments , Office furniture, Ornamental work , Parquet flooring, Picker sticks, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shade rollers, Shuttles, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Stencil & chisel blocks, Stools, Sucker rods, Tables , Turnery, Violin bows Environmental Profile Widespread Rare in some parts of its range, particularly at the periphery Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview The species occurs in dense rain forests along rivers at elevations of 330 to 1300 feet (100 to 400 m) in the Guianas, Venezuela, Colombia, and northwestern Amazonian Brazil. It is also reported to have extensions into the West Indies and through Central America to southern Mexico. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow White Green/grey Orange Pink Purple Reddish brown Heartwood is slow in forming Dark brown Color is uniform to variegated Black Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red White to yellow Well defined Grain Even Figure Straight Irregular Straight to irregular Texture Medium Coarse Fine Medium to very fine Luster Medium High Medium Natural Durability Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Perishable Non-resistant to termites Moderately durable Resistant to powder post beetles Heartwood susceptible to marine borer attack Heartwood resistant to dry-wood termites Heartwood has very little resistance to decay Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Sawdust can cause irritation in some individuals Kiln Schedules T2-C1 (8/4) US T2 - C2 (4/4) US Schedule B (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Distortion Checking Severe twisting/warping Severe surface checking Ease of Drying Rapidly Moderate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Comments The timber has been suggested as a potential substitute for Ebony (Diospyros spp. ). Blunting Effect High to severe Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Wood is dense Difficult to saw Movement in Service Large Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planing Planing is difficult due to high density Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Sanding Good sanding finish Polishing Excellent results Strength Properties Very heavy Resists denting and marring Hardness (side grain) = very hard Density = very high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 22413 28097 psi Density 69 lbs/ft3 Hardness 3616 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 12671 15131 psi Stiffness 2940 3557 1000 psi Toughness 255 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.92 Weight 68 56. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1575 1975 kg/cm2 Density 1105 kg/m3 Hardness 1640 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 890 1063 kg/cm2 Stiffness 206 250 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 293 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.92 Weight 1089 897. kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Perpetua Hardwoods. 1993. Personal Communication. Sea Star Trading Co., P. O. Box 513, Newport OR. Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT.