Common Name: Wamara
Scientific Name: Swartzia leiocalycina
Wood Description: Wamara, also known as Guyana Rosewood, is derived from Swartzia leiocalycina and is characterized by its striking appearance. The heartwood ranges from chocolate to purplish-brown, often with darker purple streaks, giving it an attractive appearance. It can also vary from medium reddish-brown to purplish-black, frequently with darker contrasting stripes. The sapwood is pale in color, nearly white to yellowish, and sharply demarcated from the heartwood. This distinct two-toned effect is sometimes utilized in furniture. The wood has a fine texture, though it can range to very fine or medium. The grain is typically straight, sometimes irregular, or straight to slightly interlocked. It usually exhibits a medium luster and is generally without a distinctive odor or taste.
Physical Properties: Wamara is a very hard and very heavy wood. Its air-dried density (at 12% moisture content) is reported as 1060 kg/m³, with basic specific gravity ranging from 0.87 to 1.02. Air-dry density is typically 65 to 75 pcf, and can be as high as 1.30 g/cm³. The Janka hardness for dry material ranges from 3,325 to 4,060 lb, with a specific value of 1856 kgf (side). The average toughness is 260 in.-lb.34 Wamara exhibits medium movement, though movement after manufacture can be high for some species within the genus. Shrinkage from green to oven-dry is radial 3.9-5.8% and tangential 7.6-8.8%, with volumetric shrinkage around 11.2%.
Mechanical Properties: Wamara possesses excellent mechanical strength, with outstanding strength properties. Its bending strength (Modulus of Rupture, MOR) is 213 N/mm² at 12% MC, or 26,370 psi, and 2089 kgf/cm². The modulus of elasticity (MOE) is 23630 N/mm² at 12% MC, or 3,630 (1000 psi), and 236408 kgf/cm². Crushing strength is 110 N/mm² at 12% MC or 15,440 psi, and 866 kgf/cm². These high values solidify its reputation as a robust and resilient timber.
Uses: Wamara is highly valued for its decorative qualities and exceptional strength. It is suitable for interior decorative work and fittings. Common uses include inlay, parquet flooring, turnery, furniture, cabinetwork, and specialty items, and it is suggested as a substitute for ebony. It is also used for beams, joists, boards, frames, steps, paneling, luxury furniture, decorative veneer, ornaments, cutlery, and even sports equipment like bowling and polo balls. Its high resistance to nicks, dents, and scratches makes it excellent for flooring.