Common Name:

General Information

Licaria bahiana is an evergreen tree with a dense, globose crown; it can grow 5 - 9 metres tall. The cylindrical bole can be 15 - 25cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and also traded.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Atlantic and coastal rainforests, mainly found in the dense primary forest, but sometimes also in more open and secondary growth areas; favouring sandy soils[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	7.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun to moderate shade[]. Found in the wild mainly in sandy soils[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is medium-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, with moderate mechanical properties and moderate resistance to wood-eating organisms. It is used in internal construction for baseboards, moldings, window sashes, ceilings etc; as well as for tool handles[].
We have no more information on the wood of this species. However, a general description of the wood in this genus is as follows:-
The heartwood is orange or brown-yellow when freshly cut, darkening on exposure to yellowish-brown or coffee-brown and sometimes with a tinge of red or violet; the sapwood is light yellowish-brown. The texture is fine to medium; grain straight to slightly interlocked; lustre moderate; there is a fragrant odour from the fresh wood, most of which is lost on drying. The wood has an excellent resistance to both brown-rot and white-rot fungi; it is also rated very high resistance to dry-wood termites, but there is little resistance to attack by marine borers. Air seasoning characteristics are variable depending upon the source and the species, ranging from easy to season to moderately difficult; warp is slight but checking can be severe. The high density material is difficult to work but cuts smoothly; it tends to splinter in boring; it requires care in gluing; takes an excellent finish. The wood is used for making furniture, turnery, boat building, heavy construction, and parquet flooring[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 90 - 120 days[].

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