Lagarto caspi

Geographical Distribution: The distribution of the species was obtained from literature and herbal reports within the provinces of Loreto and Madre de Dios, between 0 and 500 m above sea level. Average amounts of this species can be found in the Peruvian Amazon.
The tree: 40 m. tall, cylinder-like trunk, 25 m. long, 90 cm diameter. No visible roots. Dense, balloon-like top, covering the upper third of the tree. The surface of the trunk is dark brown, deeply fissured in trees with great diameter. Dead bark is woody and hard. Main bark is sheeted and made up of two layers: a pinkish-gray outer one and a pinkish-white one, both of which darken when exposed to the air. When cut, little drops of a greenish-yellow, sour and spicy latex ooze down the different areas of the vegetable.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WOOD
Color: When freshly cut, sapwood (alburnum) is light pink and hardwood (duramen) is intensely pink. Slight and gradual contrast of colors between both layers. When dried in open air, alburnum turns pink HUE 8/4 7.5YR and duramen turns pink HUE 7/4 5YR. (Munsell Soil Color Charts).

Fragrance Distinctive and particular.
Shine or gloss Medium.
Grain Interbred.
Texture Medium.
Streaks or patterns: Clearly defined; overlapped arches, narrow streaked parallel bands, dark vertical vascular lines.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Lagarto caspi is a heavy type of wood, showing low linear shrinkage and stable volumetric shrinkage.
Mechanical resistance is in the limit of the medial rank.

Physical Properties
Primary density 0.66 g/cm3
Tangential contraction 8.30 %
Radial contraction 5.10 %
Volumetric contraction 13.20 %
T/R Ratio 1.60

Mechanical Properties
Module of elasticity in flexion 90,000 kg/cm2
Module of breakage in flexion 100 kg/ cm2
Parallel compression (RM) 80 kg/cm2
Perpendicular compression (ELP): 15 kg/cm2
Grain-parallel cut 8 kg/cm2
Hardness on the sides kg/cm2
Firmness (Resistance to impact) kg-m

TECHNICAL ADVICE
Lagarto caspi has not shown any difficulty during mechanical processing. Good workability and good finishing in the surface.
Wood is resistant to biological attack, pieces are durable when placed out of the reach of the ground.

USES
At present, sawyers in the Central Jungle of Peru include this species in their trading for construction, structures, carpentry, furniture in general, specially decorative plates (radial cut in slicer), tool handles, toys and music instruments.