Snakewood
Family
Moraceae
Other Common Names
Cacique carey (Panama), Palo de oro (Venezuela), Burokoro, Tibicusi (Guyana), Letterhout (Surinam), Bois d'amourette (French Guiana), Gateado, Muirapenima (Brazil).
Distribution
Guianas, Trinidad, and the Amazon region; a rare to occasional tree.
The Tree
Unbuttressed small tree, up to 80 ft in height with trunk diameters of 12 to 20 in.; bole is cylindrical and clear for 40 to 50 ft.
The Wood
General Characteristics
Heartwood dark red to reddish brown with irregular radial black markings or with black vertical stripes alone or in conjunction with the speckles; sapwood very thick, yellowish white, line of demarcation often irregular and not very sharp. Luster medium to high; texture fine and uniform; grain straight; odorless and tasteless.