Names and distribution:
Botanically, the Silkwood(Chorisia speciosa) belongs to the Malvaceae, subfamily Bombacoideae. The species has its natural distribution area in large parts of South America. The tree is called chorisie or sumaúma there, or palo borracho in common parlance.
Wooden picture:
Whitish to pale yellow-brown wood with barely separated sapwood, often with brown-grey veins and streaks, scattered and coarse-pored, mostly straight grain, sometimes slightly alternating. Wood rays not particularly pronounced, plain overall.
Properties:
The spec. weight is given as 0.23 – 0.35 t/cbm at a u=12%, the tangential shrinkage is given as 6.7% and the radial shrinkage as 3.0%. Drying is unproblematic. The dimensional stability is good. Silkwood is very easy to work with all tools, but tends to have a woolly surface. Compressive strength and flexural strength are 21 and 50 N/mm2 respectively, comparatively low values, which goes hand in hand with the low gross weight. Silkwood is not durable and is susceptible to blue stain when fresh.
Use:
Moldings, light furniture parts, carvings, musical instruments
References: ATIBT (1990): Latin American wood species
GOTTWALD (1970) Commercial timber
