DARINA
Distribution:Upland forests of the central and eastern parts of the Brazilian Amazon region and extending northward into the Guianas and southward to Rio de Janeiro.
The Tree: A medium-sized to very large tree, sometimes 150 ft in height with diameters to 10 ft.
The Wood:
General Characteristics: Heartwood when fresh is light orange tan to orange brown turning to pale brown on exposure with a rather gradual transition to the white or grayish sapwood. Texture rather coarse and uneven; luster rather low; grain straight to interlocked; without distinctive odor or taste. Alternating zones of dark and light tissue give a figure of the Partridge wood type.
Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.6; air-dry density 47 pcf.
Mechanical Properties: (First set of data based on 2-in. standard; second set on the 1-in. standard.)
Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength
Drying and Shrinkage: Reported to be moderately difficult to air-dry season. Rated drying fast to moderate with moderate warp and slight surface and end checking. No data on kiln schedules available. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 4.4%; tangential 7.1%; volumetric 10.2%.
Working Properties: The wood is easy to work in all operations and machines to a smooth surface.
Durability: In laboratory tests heartwood was rated very durable upon exposure to white-rot and durable in resistance to a brown-rot fungus. Exposure tests indicate the heartwood is only moderately resistant to marine borers.
Preservation: Heartwood and sapwood are both reported to respond well to pressure-vacuum treatments; test specimens, however, had high end-grain exposure.
Uses: Heavy construction, turnery, and furniture.