Dalbergia retusa

Dalbergia retusa is a plant of the genus Dalbergien ( Dalbergia ) in the subfamily of the Fabaceae ( Faboideae ). The trade names of the wood of Dalbergia retusa are cocobolo or Coccobolo, Grenadillo, Nambar, Rio Rosewood or Palo Sando.

• 5.1 Notes and references

Description

Dalbergia retusa grows as a small to medium sized tree, reached the stature heights of 15 to 20 meters. The schwarzrindige strain grows irregularly and branches already at low altitudes. The canopy is open. The change-constant leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade imparipinnate. The leathery, glossy leaflets are oblong with a rounded upper end at a length from 2.5 to 12 centimeters.

The lateral or terminal paniculate inflorescences are long in 4 to 18 inches. The zygomorphic flowers are white and bell-shaped.

Dissemination

Dalbergia retusa grows at altitudes of 50 to 300 meters along the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Chiapas in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua to Panama.

Taxonomy

The first description was in 1878 by the British botanist William Botting Hemsley in Diagnoses Plantarum Novarum ... Mexicanarum, 1, p 8

Use

Cocobolo is also the name of a coveted hardwood derived from different species, Dalbergia retusa is it the most important.

Freshly cut heartwood shows numerous colors from dark orange to rich deep red. The sapwood, however, has a delicate yellow. Cocobolo is very hard and difficult to split, but still easy to work with. There is diffuse-porous and has a slightly wavy grain. The wood is, for example, for household appliances, tool and knife handles, musical instruments ( wind instruments ), sticks and brushes used. In the high queues Cocobolo is often used as an inlay. In sculpture, carving and it is very much appreciated, because in the processing of the relatively expensive raw material is obtained only little waste.

The offer is limited; the use is often not very sustainable. The wood is not certified as a rule; Dalbergia retusa the type is listed in the List of the World Conservation Union IUCN as endangered. Due to the sharp decline in populations and ever-increasing demand there are now already FSC -certified afforestation projects of cocobolo.

Wood properties

• Dry density: 650-900 kg / m³ ( average 800 kg / m³)
• Density: 1000-1100 kg / m³
• Tensile strength: K. A.
• Compressive strength: 71 N / mm ²
• Bending strength: K. A.
• Brinell hardness: H = K. A. BII, BI H = K. A.
• Humidity 12 %

Health impairments in the processing

The dust of its wood leads to health problems. Even the oily wood with bare hands can result in the processing of allergic skin reactions.

Swell

• WA Marin, EM Flores: Dalbergia retusa Hemsl, In: . Tropical Tree Seed Manual, JA Vozzo, (ed.), USDA Forest Service, Washington DC, Agricultural Handbook Number 721, 2002, PDF Online
• Encyclopaedia of Forest Finance