Scientific name: Swartzia leiocalycina
Family: Caesalpiniaceae
Standard name: Wamara
Other names: Montouchi, Panacoco, Saboarana, Brown Ebony
Wood Appearance
The heartwood is chocolate to purplish-brown with darker purple streaks, giving the wood an
attractive appearance. The sapwood is pale in colour and sharply demarcated from heartwood;
sapwood and heartwood are often used in furniture to give two toned effect. The grain is straight
sometimes irregular and texture fine. The bole is 18-21m in length with a diameter of 40-75cm.
Physical and Mechanical Properties
A very hard, very heavy wood with medium movement. Excellent mechanical strength:
Air dried density (12%) - 1060kg/m3
Bending strength (at 12%) - 213 N/mm2
Modulus of elasticity (at 12%) - 23630 N/mm2
Crushing strength (at 12%) - 110N/mm2
Natural Durability
The heartwood is durable and extremely resistant to insects, decay and preservatives but not to
marine borers. The sapwood is permeable.
Timber Processing
Drying - Dries slowly with appreciable surface checking. Kiln Schedule B.
Working - Difficult to work owing to hardness and interlocked grain. Easy to scrape and sand and
gives a fine finish. There is a tendency for end splitting but distortion is not serious. Blunting effect
is moderate to high. Suitable for bends of moderate radius of curvature if well supported with a
metal strap.
Assembly - Difficult to nail and screw and tends to split, but fastenings are held well. Pre-boring is
necessary.
Finishing - Finishes smoothly and polishes well. Stains will not penetrate the timber.
Uses
Suitable for interior decorative work and fittings. Can be used for cabinetwork, furniture making,
flooring and panelling. Very suitable for inlay work and turnery.
Family - Legumlnosae (Papilionoideae)
Vernacular names -
Guyana - Aipo, Krapabosi, Kumaru, Tonka bean
lnternatlonal trade name - Cumaru
Wood description
Sapwood - distinct, yellowish (2-4cm)
Heartwood - beige brown with yellow or purplish pink tinge: becoming red brown with age
Grain - frequently Interlocked, sometimes highly
Texture - fine to medium
Processing
Sawing - power required
Drying - blunting effect: moderate must be handled with care and slowly dried
kiln schedule for 41 mm listed below risks of distortion: more or less high
risks of checking: more or less high some risk of casehardening In thick stock
movement in service low to medium
Natural durability
Resistance to decay - Very Good
Resistance to termites - Very Good
Resistance to insects of drywood - Good
Treatability - Poor
Uses - sleepers; bridges; flooring; weathered construction; hydraulic works; heavy carpentry; gearing; marine construction; decorative veneer; tumcry
