SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cordia Alliodora.

OTHER NAMES
Salmwood, princewood, cyp, solera, canaletta, louro

DISTRIBUTION
The species is reported to be distributed from Mexico to Costa Rica, and is also found in Colombia, Florida, and the West Indies. (Zamora, 1989). It is reported to grow up to elevations of about 1600 feet (500 m) in the tropical dry areas of Mexico with average annual precipitation of about 40 inches (1000 mm).

ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE
This species is officially classified as either Extinct, Endangered, Rare, or Vulnerable within its natural habitat in Costa Rica. Inadequate information makes it difficult to assign it to one specific conservation category (Source - World Conservation Monitoring Center - 1992).
The species is reported to be either very rare (21 to 100 occurrences) and local throughout its range, or it is found locally, even abundantly at some of its locations. The species may also be vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other existing but unknown factors (Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endangerment based mainly on the number of occurrences of the species worldwide).

TREE DATA
The size of the trees is reported to vary from small to large, sometimes reaching 100 feet (30 m) in height. The trees are reported to be often sparsely distributed over a wide range. The bark is grayish, rough, with fissures forming squares.

TIMBER
Greenish yellow to golden brown with dark stripes. Often highly figured with "eyes." Hard and heavy. Appears oily with a medium luster. Takes a natural polish. Not difficult to work. Finishes very smoothly.The color of the sapwood is typically brown, or brownish-red, yellow, or green in hue. The heartwood color ranges from nearly white to golden brown, with irregular reddish to dark brown streaks. The grain is typically straight, but may vary from straight to roey. The texture is reported to be usually fine to medium, with a somewhat oily or waxy appearance. The wood is ornamental, resembling walnut, in various shades of brown with darker markings.

WORKING PROPERTIES - Works easily with both hand and power tools, with a slight blunting effect on cutters. Can be finished smoothly and cleanly in most machining operations. Takes nails and screws well, glues, stains and polishes to a good finish.

DURABILITY - Moderately durable, resistant to preservative treatment and the sapwood is permeable

USES - Cabinets and furniture, decorative boxes, boat decking, vehicle bodies, light construction. Selected logs sliced for veneers suitable for panelling and furniture. Sought for its great beauty and ease of working. Bocote is in great demand for boat decking, fine cabinetry, fine furniture, decorative and figured veneer, moldings, inlay work, joinery, and turnery. It was formerly used for making vehicles and cooperage. The wood makes for dramatic accents, edgings and inlays. Has potential for being used in paper production. For some applications Bocote is used as a substitute for teak, walnut, or mahogany. Also used in agro forestry where it is grown with coffee and cocoa. The dark colored heartwood is a favorite of woodworkers for fine carpentry

Information from A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Second Edition, James H. Flynn, Jr. and Charles D. Holder, Editors.
Forest Products Society, Madison, Wisconsin, 2001.

Photographs from MDArtworks