External features:

The difference between heartwood and sapwood is obvious. The sapwood is wide, yellowish-white, and the heartwood is dark reddish brown, and the formation is very slow. The diameter at breast height is 50cm, the heartwood is only less than 18cm, the diameter at breast height is 38cm, and the heartwood is only 2.5-10cm. The heartwood has irregular black spots and patterns, and the patterns are changeable, similar to snake patterns, hieroglyphs, and English letters. Therefore, it has the reputation of serpentine wood, alphabet wood, and oracle bone wood, which has a great decorative effect. Its unique dark pattern part is formed of resin, with strong luster, fine structure, straight texture, diffuse porous material, thin catheter diameter, strong parenchyma, and thin wood rays.

Processing characteristics:

The wood is very heavy and high in strength, with an air-dry density of 1.20-1.36g/cm3, which is the densest wood in the world. The average flexural strength is 14599 - 21599 psi, the average compressive strength is 900kg/cm2, the radius shrinkage is 6%, the tangential shrinkage is 9%, and the end face is prone to cracks. Because the heartwood is heavy and hard, it is difficult to process and cut. The serrations are reinforced and the cut surface is smooth. Excellent polishability, direct polishing and waxing without paint is also very beautiful, and the spin products are excellent.

Distribution area:

Scattered in virgin jungles near the Amazon River Basin in South America.