Replies

1. 
   eddiefromAustralia | May 12, 2004 11:05pm | #1

   Alan,

   A google search on the name brought up 257 hits - mainly dealing with working characteristics.

   Cheers,

   eddie

2. 
   jonsherryl | May 13, 2004 05:02am | #2

   Alan, this is kind of a toughy in that the use of the common name muirapiranga gets a little sloppy in the trade. There are three unrelated genera, all native to the Amazon region of Brazil that sometimes come to market under this name: The original usage was probably for woods cut from the genus Haploclathra, which belongs to the Guttiferae family and these woods tend to be bright brick orange in color.

   Unfortunately the name is now also being used for what more accurately are "bloodwoods", belonging to the genus Brosimum in the mulberry/fig family; Moraceae. However, another genus; Eperua, in the Legume family (Leguminosae) also produces reddish wood and it is found in the same area of the lower Amazon as are the above two genera. Woods from the latter genus tend to be much lighter in weight and the color drifts more toward red/purple hues, as opposed to the bright  red or red/orange color of the other two. The Brosimum (bloodwood) species are highly variable in terms of both weight and color, so you can't use these gross features for reliable identification. The woods cut from the Haploclathra genus, can usually be differentiated from the other two (certainly from those of Eperua and usually from the Brosimum species) in that they tend to be very hard and heavy.

   Hope this helps, but unless you can get the botanical name from your dealer, it's doubtful you'll ever be certain of what you have.

1. 
   AlanTurner | May 13, 2004 05:04pm | #3

   Jon,

   As always, thanks for your help.  I googled the name, and all I found was that it was bloodwood, which it is not, from the color, although the weight is quite substantial.  I guess that means it is from the genus Haploclathra.  Is there a common name for this wood?  It is in my garage, and perhaps this weekend I will get a chance to play with it.

   AlanAlan

   http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

1. 
   jonsherryl | May 13, 2004 07:51pm | #4

   Alan, actually the preferred common name for woods in the Haploclathra genus IS muirapiranga. This common name's application to the other woods in the Brosimum and Eperua genera is less valid. Another common name for the Haploclathra variety is tamaquare, but the muirapiranga name is probably the better of the two.

   As for the Brosimum "bloodwoods", Don't even attempt to use color as a reliable identification feature. The Brosimum genus provides a very wide range of woods, in terms of both color and density. Many of them are actually blond. Even those marketed as bloodwood are segregated at the mill on the basis of color, despite the fact that they are cut from several species...although the primary species is Brosimum paraense.