INGIEPIPA
Other Common Names: Congolo-Garapelo (Panama), Tabari, Tauari, (Venezuela), Coco Cabuyo (Colombia), Ingiepipa (Surinam), Tauary (Brazil).
Distribution: Several commercial species range from Costa Rica and Panama southward to the Guianas and Brazilian Amazon.
The Tree: Up to 120 ft high with trunk diameters 3 to 4 ft; boles are well formed above the stout buttresses.
The Wood:
General Characteristics: Sapwood not distinct from the heartwood which is cream colored with a pinkish or yellowish tinge. Luster rather low to high; grain straight or uniformly interlocked; texture medium to coarse; odor and taste usually lacking, odor reported as fetid in some species. Silica to 0.8% reported.
Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.50; air-dry density 37 pcf.
Mechanical Properties: (2-in. standard)
Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength
(%) (Psi) (1,000 psi) (Psi)
Green (74) 9,240 1,730 4,260
12% 13,520 1,800 7,460
12% (20) 17,200 NA 8,650
15% (34) 14,200 1,730 7,600
Janka side hardness 880 lb at 12% moisture content and 740 lb for green material. Forest Products Laboratory toughness average for green and dry material is 124 in.-lb. (5/8)-in. specimen.
Drying and Shrinkage: Wood has a moderate rate of drying with slight surface checking and warp. No dry kiln schedule data available. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 4.1%; tangential 7.3%; volumetric 11.3%.
Working Properties: The wood is rated fair to good in all machining operations. High silica content in some species requires specially tipped cutters.
Durability: Considerable variability of heartwood resistance to decay fungi is reported, from durable to nondurable. Some species show fair resistance to marine borer attack.
Preservation: Heartwood and sapwood easily treated by both pressure and open tank systems with good absorption and penetration.
Uses: General interior construction and carpentry work, boxes and crates, furniture components, veneer and plywood, and railroad crossties (treated).