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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Mora excelsa Trade Name Mora Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Dimorphandra excelsa, Dimorphandra guianensis, Dimorphandra mora Common Names Alcornoque, Belarbre, Black mora, King tree, Mahot rouge, Mora, Mora bucquia, Mora de gulayana, Mora de guyana, Mora peto, Mora-yek, Moraballi, Moraboekea, Morabukea, Morade-guyana, Moreira, Muro, Nato, Nato rojo, Palaloea, Parakaua, Perakaua, Peto, Peto prakowa, Pracuuba, Pracuuba branca, Pracuuba vermelha, Prakue, Red mora, Roode, Roode more, Torore, White mora, Witte mora Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Charcoal, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Piling, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Wharf construction, Wheels Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The species occurs widely in the Guianas, and less frequently in the Orinoco Delta of Venezuela. It is a dominant species on river levees and flood plains, and forms dense stands. Heartwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Orange Pink Green/grey Reddish brown Dark brown Dark brown Purple Brown Yellowish-Red brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Red Red - dark with light streaks Pale brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red White to yellow Well defined Different than heartwood Yellowish brown Paler than heartwood Grain Interlocked Straight Figure Rippled (figure) Other (figure) Even Closed Distinct (figure) Wavy Stripe (figure) Interlocked Straight Rippled figure Other figure Grain is variable Distinct figure Wavy Striped figure Texture Coarse Coarse Medium coarse to coarse Medium Fine to medium Fine Harsh to touch Luster High Lustrous Pronounced Medium to High Natural Durability Non-durable Perishable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Resistant to powder post beetles Durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Very durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Heartwood susceptible to marine borers Heartwood susceptible to dry-wood termite attack Heartwood resistant to attack by white rot and brown rot fungi Heartwood resistance is variable Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Odor Slightly sour odor Astingent tase Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2 Dry at a moderate speed T2 - C2 (4/4) US T2 - C1 (8/4) US Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is slow Drying Defects Moderate twist/warp Moderate surface checking Slight surface checking Slight collapse and honeycomb Moderate cupping Severe twisting/warping Moderate end spitting Material with boxed heart is liable to split Improper stacking may cause warping Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Difficult Variable results. Moderate Stacking carefully and drying slowly yield best results Kiln Drying Rate Slow (18-28 days for boards < 32 mm, to 52-84 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Bole length is 0-10 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 10-20 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that the species is an important source of timber for local consumption. Export potential is rated as fair. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on sawing green wood is severe Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe Boring Poor to very poor results Straight grained wood bores well Difficult Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with green wood is variable Cutting resistance with dry wood is variable Difficult but yields smooth surfaces Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with dry wood is moderate Gluing Poor to Very Poor Results Mortising Poor to Very Poor Results Moulding Poor to Very Poor Results Difficult to mould Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Large Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Holds nails well Possible if prebored Easy to nail Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Easy to plane Planes well, to a good finish The timber is reported to plane with moderate difficulty but straight-grained material produces smooth surfaces. Timber containing interlocked grain may chip and pick-up considerably. Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is resistant Heartwood is extremely resistant Sapwood is permeable Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Difficult to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Poor to Very Poor Results Moderately easy Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Easy to turn Good results Veneering Qualities No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Diifficult to veneer Steam Bending Moderate Good Painting Poor to Very Poor Results Polishing Poor to Very Poor Results Satisfactory results Good results Staining Finish is generally satisfactory Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Max. crushing strength = very high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Max. crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Hardness (side grain) = medium Hardness (side grain) = hard Bending strength (MOR) = low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load = low Weight = very high Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Max. crushing strength = low Density = very high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12777 21076 psi Crushing Strength 1019 1254 psi Density 62 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2425 lbs Impact Strength 33 41 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 7061 11196 psi Shearing Strength 2183 psi Static Bending 8859 12779 psi Stiffness 2193 2693 1000 psi Toughness 223 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 12 16 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.7 0.89 Weight 60 58 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Volumetric Shrinkage 19 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 898 1481 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 71 88 kg/cm2 Density 993 kg/m3 Hardness 1099 kg Impact Strength 83 104 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 496 787 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 153 kg/cm2 Static Bending 622 898 kg/cm2 Stiffness 154 189 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 256 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.84 1.12 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.7 0.89 Weight 961 929 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % References Armstrong, F.H.,1960,The Strength Properties of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, London Bulletin,No.45 Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa. Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48 Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research 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. Brooks, R.L., et al,1941,Durability tests on Untreated Timbers in Trinidad,Caribbean Forester,2(3,pp101-119 Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 2 South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Chichignoud, M., G. Deon, P. Detienne, B. Parant and P. Vantomme. 1990. Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne, CEDEX, France. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Clifford, N.,1953,Commercial Hardwoods - Their Characteristics Identification and,Utilization,Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. London Donoso, J.,1972,Know your Woods - Mora,Guyana Forest Department, Forest Industries Newsletter,1(3,p1 Edmondson, C.H.,1949,Reaction of Woods from S.America and Caribbean areas to Marine Borers in,Hawaiian Waters,Caribbean Foresters,10(1,PP37-41 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Fanshawe, D.B.,1948,Studies of the Trees of British Guiana Part 3,Tropical Woods,12(93,pp1-28 Fanshawe, D.B.,1954,Forest Products of British Guiana Part 1 Principal Timbers,Forest Department British Guiana Forestry Bulletin (New Series 2nd,Edition,No.1 Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1967,The Steam Bending Properties of various timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet,No.45 Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38 Guna et al, S.R.D.,1945,Notes on British Guiana Timbers,The 'Daily Chronicle' Ltd. Printers,28PP Guyana Forestry Department,1951,British Guiana Timbers - Mora,British Guiana Forestry Department Leaflet,5,3pp Higgins, H.G., et al,1973,Pulping of Tropical Hardwoods: Individual and Mixed Species Wood and Paper,Properties Resource Assessment,CSIRO Forest Products Lab. Div. Appl. Chem. Tech. Paper,No.70 HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer, Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory Kukachka, B.F.,1970,Properties of Imported Tropical Woods,Forest Research Paper FPL 125 Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50) Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad Marshall, R.C.,1939,Silviculture of the trees of Trinidad and Tobago - British West Indies,O.U.P.,London Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Polak, A.M.,1992,Major Timber Trees of Guyana A Field Guide,The Tropenbos Foundation Wageningen, The Netherlands Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Sallenave, P.,1971,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Deuxieme,Supplement,C.T.F.T. Smith, D.N.,1959,The Natural Durability of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Record,No.30 Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. London Surinam Forest Service,1952,Surinam Timber - A Summary with brief descriptions of the main timber,species of Surinam,Surinam Forest Service Takahashi, A.,1975,Compilation of data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part 2,Central and South America,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No.4 Tamolang, F.N., Martawijaya, A., Kartasujana, I., Kadir, K., Parwira, S.,1992,Indonesian Wood Atlas Volume II,Department of Forestry, Agency for Forestry Research and Development,,Bogor-Indonesia Timber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd. Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition Vink, A.T.,1965,Surinam Timbers,Surinam Forest Service Paramaribo,3rd rev. ed. Wangaard, F.F., and A.F. Muschler. 1952. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume III, No. 98. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Wangaard, F.F., W.L. Stern, and S.L. Goodrich. 1955. Tropical Woods - Properties and Uses of Tropical Woods, Volume V, No. 103. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series