Common Name: Baromalli
Scientific Name: Catostemma spp.
Wood Description: Baromalli, from the Catostemma spp. genus, has a heartwood that is dull yellowish to pinkish-brown. It is distinct but not sharply demarcated from the lighter-colored, yellowish-brown sapwood. The wood often features dark-colored resin streaks that appear as arcs on the cross-section and lines on the surface. It has a coarse texture and a grain that is typically straight to slightly interlocked, or straight to oblique. The luster is generally low. It is without a distinctive odor or taste. Quarter-sawed surfaces may show a distinctive “silver-grain” figure.
Physical Properties: Baromalli is a low to medium-density timber. Its basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume) ranges from 0.50 to 0.60. The air-dry density is 36 to 46 pcf (approximately 577-737 kg/m³) with specific reports of 550 kg/m³ (0.55 g/cm³) and 600 kg/m³ (12% MC). In the green condition, the timber weighs 70 lbs/ft³. The Janka side hardness is 720 lb for air-dry material and 520 lbs. for green wood. The average toughness is 166 in.-lbs. Shrinkage from green to oven-dry is radial 5.0-5.2% and tangential 11.1-11.6%, with volumetric shrinkage of 17.5%. The movement of timber in service is rated as large, indicating lower dimensional stability.
Mechanical Properties: Baromalli’s mechanical properties are moderate. Its bending strength (Modulus of Rupture, MOR) is 11,200 psi at 12% MC, or 1056 kgf/cm². The modulus of elasticity (MOE) is 1,820 (1000 psi) at 12% MC, or 131000 kgf/cm². Crushing strength is 6,730 psi at 12% MC or 497 kgf/cm². Shear strength is 69 kgf/cm². These properties suggest its suitability for general construction where dimensional stability is not a critical factor.
Uses: Baromalli is suitable for plywood manufacture. It is used for general manufacturing and interior construction. Other applications include fiberboard, particleboard, box shook, and cooperage. It can also be used for general housing (boards, frames, paneling, fittings) and moldings. Moderate quantities are available for export.