top

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.

Boring
Carving
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Grain
Heartwood Color
Mortising
Moulding
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Aniba sp.

Trade Name
Louro

Family Name
Lauraceae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Comino real, Coto, Louro, Louro rosa, Moena amarilla, Pau rosa, Silverballi

Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Brazil, Columbia, French Guiana, Guyana

Common Uses
Bedroom suites, Boat building, Bridge beams, Bridge construction, Bridge joists, Building materials, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Fine furniture, Furniture , Inlay work, Interior construction, Interior trim, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Millwork, Ornamental work , Shipbuilding, Turnery, Wardrobes

Environmental Profile
Status unknown in many of its growth areas
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
Found throughout the Guianas and the Amazon region but also in the Pacific coastal areas of Colombia.

Heartwood Color
Yellow
Brown
Green/grey
Tan
Yellowish tan
Greenish to greyish


Sapwood Color
Yellow
White
White to yellow


Grain
Even
Straight
Interlocked

Interlocked
Generally straight, but not always


Texture
Medium
Fine
Fine to medium


Natural Durability
Very durable
Very high natural resistance

Resistant to attack by both white-rot and brown-rot fungi

Odor
Has an odor
Spicy odor
No taste


Drying Defects
Checking
Distortion
Warping can be expected
Checks slightly


Ease of Drying
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Little degrade
Fairly Easy
Moderate
Dries at a moderate rate with little degrade.


Tree Size
Bole length is 20-30 m
Tree height is 30-40 m


Product Sources
The timber is available in very limited quantities at various times. The main source in the United States is the very large importers importing the wood from Brazil.

Boring
Fair to good results
Fairly easy to very easy


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood


Similar to teak in its resistance to preservative treatment

Response to Hand Tools
Responds Readily
Easy to Work
Responds well to hand tools
Easy to machine


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Strength Properties
Max. crushing strength = high
Bending strength (MOR) = high


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1298518649psi
Density44lbs/ft3
Hardness1441lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength64299810psi
Stiffness212725191000 psi
Specific Gravity0.53
Weight4335.lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
Volumetric Shrinkage12%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength9121311kg/cm2
Density705kg/m3
Hardness653kg
Maximum Crushing Strength452689kg/cm2
Stiffness1491771000 kg/cm2
Specific Gravity0.53
Weight689560.kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage7%

References
Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.