Common Name:

General Information

Drypetes brownii is a tree growing from 5 - 35 metres tall. The bole can be 15 - 20cm in diameter, exceptionally to 75cm[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is mainly used locally.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Central America - Panama to Mexico.

Habitat

Climax forests at elevations up to 550 metres in Guatemala[]. Evergreen forest formations at elevations from near sea level to 1,500 metres[]. A canopy tree often found on limestone soils[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Freshly cut heartwood is a pale yellowish brown, turning a light reddish brown on exposure; a dark brown core up to 25cm in diameter is often present in the heart of old trees[]. The grain is usually straight; the texture fine and uniform. The wood is hard, heavy, strong, tough, somewhat brittle, moderately resistant to decay in contact with the ground and moderately resistant, to insect attack[, ]. It is only moderately difficult to work with hand and machine tools; it saws cleanly but with some difficulty because of its hardness; a smooth finish is obtained in planing without any tendency to roughened grain. It can be drilled and recessed easily with clean unchipped holes and turns readily to a smooth finish with about the same resistance to working as English oak; nailing necessitates preboring nail holes to prevent splitting and bending of the nails[]. It is widely used in the round form for rafters, as axed squares
for beams and sills in the construction of native houses, and for shafts in agricultural instruments. Except for some splitting and checking, it has given good service as railway ties. The wood seems suitable for many uses where a strong, tough, heavy wood is required as in both light and heavy construction. Because of its light colour, close texture, and good turning qualities, the wood may be suitable for utility grade plywood[].

Propagation

Seed -

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