Greenheart

Scientific Name: Ocatea radiaei

Family: Lauraceae

Distribution: Commercial quantities mostly in the north central portion of Guyana but also found in Surinam and in the Venezuelan Guiana.  It has also been reported from the Maroni Region of western French Guiana and from northern Brazil.

Other Names: Bibiru, Sipiri, Kevatuk, Beeberoe, Demerara groenhart, Sipiroe

Description:  Texture is fine and uniform, grain straight to wavy; lustrous and odorless when dry.

Sapwood:  Pale yellow or greenish

Heartwood:  Varies in color from dark olive green to nearly black.

Processing:  The wood dries very slowly with a marked tendency to check and end split; however, warping is not serious and the total amount of degrade is not excessive.  Moderately difficult to work with hand or machine tools because of its density, dulls cutting edges rather quickly but finishes to a fine smooth lustrous surface.  Turns easily and takes a high polish.  A moderately good steam-bending wood.  Gluing gives variable results. 

Durability:  The heartwood is rated as very resistant to decay fungi and termites.  It also very resistant to marine borers in temperate waters, but much less so in warm tropical waters.   Impermeable to preservative treatments. 

Common Uses:  Marine and ship construction, lock gates, docks, industrial flooring, vats, filter press plates, piling, heavy construction, turnery, specialty items: fishing rods, billiard cue butts.