Woods

Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants (Alnus) belonging to the birch family (Family Betulaceae). The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate zone, and in the New World also along the Andes southwards to Chile. The leaves are deciduous (not evergreen), alternate, simple, and serrated. The flowers are catkins with elongate male catkins on the same plant as shorter female catkins, often before leaves appear; they are mainly wind-pollinated, but also visited by bees to a small extent. They differ from the birches (Betula, the other genus in the family) in that the female catkins are woody and do not disintegrate at maturity, opening to release the seeds in a similar manner to many conifer cones.

The best-known species in Europe is the Common or Black Alder (A. glutinosa), native to most of Europe and widely introduced elsewhere. The largest species is Red Alder (A. rubra), reaching 35 m (the tallest is 32 m) on the west coast of North America, with Black Alder and Italian Alder (A. cordata) both reaching about 30 m. By contrast, the widespread Green Alder (A. viridis) is rarely more than a 5 m shrub.

The common name alder is derived from an old Germanic root. The botanic name Alnus is the original Latin name. Both the Latin and the Germanic derive from the proto-Indo-European root el-, meaning 'red, brown,' which is also the ultimate root for the English words elk and elm--a tree more distantly related to the alders.

An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families (see end of page for disambiguation), but originally and most commonly refers to trees of the genus Fraxinus (from Latin "ash tree") in the olive family Oleaceae. The ashes are usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The leaves are opposite (rarely in whorls of three), and mostly pinnately-compound, simple in a few species. The seeds, popularly known as keys, are a type of fruit known as a samara. The tree's common English name goes back to the Old English æsc, a word also routinely used in Old English documents to refer to spears made of ash wood.

The wood is hard (a hardwood), tough and very strong but elastic, extensively used for making bows, tool handles, quality wooden baseball bats, hurley sticks and other uses demanding high strength and resilience. It is also used as material for the bodies of guitars, known for its bright, cutting tone and sustaining quality. Ash veneers are extensively used in office furniture. It also makes excellent firewood. The two most economically important species for wood production are White Ash in eastern North America, and European Ash in Europe. The Green Ash is widely planted as a street tree in the United States. The inner bark of the Blue Ash has been used as a source for a blue dye. The cortex (bark) of Fraxinus rhynchophylla HANCE (Chinese: Ku li bai la shu), Fraxinus chinensis ROXB. (Chinese: Bai la shu), Fraxinus szaboana English (Chinese: Jian ye bai la shu) and Fraxinus stylosa English (Chinese: su zhu bai la shu)are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for diarrhea, dysenteric disorder, and vaginal discharge. It is also good for the eyes where there is symptoms of redness, swelling, and pain. The dosage is 6-12 grams.

Other name uses (Green Tree) - In North America, the name "Mountain ash" is applied to species of the genus Sorbus, more commonly known in the UK as Rowans and Whitebeams, and the name "Prickly ash" is applied to Zanthoxylum americanum and other Zanthoxylums, all in the family Rutaceae, the rue and citrus family. In Australia, many common eucalyptus species are called ash because they too produce hard, fine-grained timber. The best known of these is the Mountain Ash, the tallest broadleaf tree in the world.

Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia (where the greatest species diversity is found), Europe and eastern North America; it is absent from western North America. Under the Cronquist classification system, this genus was placed in the family Tiliaceae, but genetic research by the APG has resulted in the incorporation of this family into the Malvaceae.

The trees are generally called linden in North America, and lime in Britain. Both names are derived from the Germanic root lind. The modern forms in English derive from linde or linne in Anglo Saxon and old Norse, and in Britain the word transformed more recently to the modern British form lime. In the United States , the modern German name Linde, from the same root, became more common, partly to avoid confusion with any other uses of the name. Neither the name nor the tree is closely related to the citrus fruit called "lime" (Citrus aurantifolia, family Rutaceae). Another widely-used common name used in North America is Basswood, derived from bast, the name for the inner bark (see Uses, below).

Tilia species are large deciduous trees, reaching typically 20-40 m tall, with oblique-cordate leaves 6-20 cm across, and are found through the north temperate regions. The exact number of species is subject to considerable uncertainty, as many or most of the species will hybridise readily, both in the wild and in cultivation; the following list comprises those most widely accepted.

Beech (Fagus) is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America . The leaves are entire or sparsely toothed, from 5-15 cm long and 4-10 cm broad. The flowers are small single-sex, wind-pollinated catkins, produced in spring shortly after the new leaves appear. The fruit is a small, sharply 3-angled nut 10-15 mm long, borne in pairs in soft-spined husks 1.5-2.5 cm long, known as cupules. The nuts are edible, though bitter with a high tannin content, and can be called beechmast.

The southern beeches Nothofagus previously thought closely related to beeches, are now treated in a separate family Nothofagaceae. They are found in Australia , New Zealand , New Guinea , New Caledonia and South America .

The beech blight aphid (Grylloprociphilus imbricator) is a common pest of beech trees. Beeches are also used as food plants by some species of Lepidoptera - see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Beeches.

The beech most commonly grown as an ornamental tree is the European Beech (Fagus sylvatica), widely cultivated in North America as well as its native Europe . The European species yields a widely used timber, an easy-to-work utility wood.

Chips of beech wood are used in the brewing of Budweiser beer to impart a taste similar to that of wood-barrel aging.

Also, beech pulp is used as the basis for manufacturing a textile fibre known as Modal.

Pterocarpus erinaceus, a deciduous South African tree with large yellow-orange flowers. It yields a thick red juice which is often used in the production of black dyes. Its wood is generally from a light pink to a deep blood-red, and is incredibly dense. This wood is often used by woodworkers for its natural ability to take a polish, and its unmistakable red coloring.

Rough barked Corymbia eucalypts in Australia . The name bloodwood for these trees stems from the dark red to brown kino that acumulates on wounds on the trunks.

Brosimum Paraense is a tree found in Brazil . Its dense heartwood (specific gravity of 1.15 when dry) is commonly called bloodwood due to its striking red color. The sapwood is easily distinguished by its yellowish-white color. The wood has a fine texture and takes a high polish. The wood is very hard and has a tendency to blunt tools. The wood is used in decorative woodworking and woodturning under the names Satine and Satine Bloodwood. The Nature Conservancy considers this tree secure within its native range.

The Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) is the national tree of Jamaica . It is indigenous to the island and grows quite rapidly, often attaining 20[m] (66ft) or more in height. In wetter districts it will grow in a wide range of elevations, up to 1200m (4000 ft.) and is often used in reforestation.

The tree is quite attractive with its straight trunk, broad green leaves and hibiscus-like flowers. The attractive flower changes colour as it matures, going from bright yellow to orange red and finally to crimson.

The name Mahoe is derived from a Carib - Indian word. The 'blue' refers to blue-green streaks in the polished wood, giving it a distinctive appearance.

The Blue Mahoe is a beautiful and durable timber that is widely used for cabinet making and also for making decorative objects such as picture frames, bowls and carving.

The inner bark of the tree is often referred to as Cuba bark because it was formerly used for tying bundles of Havana cigars. Cuba is the only other place where the Blue Mahoe grows naturally.

Bocote is a Spanish name used in Central America for several tree species in the genus Cordia. What species (singular or plural) it refers to will vary.

Cordia is a genus of shrubs and trees in the borage family Boraginaceae. About 300 species have been identified worldwide, mostly in warmer regions.

Many Cordias have fragrant showy flowers and are popular in gardens, although they are not especially hardy. Like most other Boraginaceae, most have hairy leaves.

Cordia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus and two bucculatricid leaf-miners recorded solely from Cordia, Bucculatrix caribbea and Bucculatrix cordiaella.

A number of the tropical species have edible fruits, called sebesten. In India , the fruits of local species are used as a vegetable, raw, cooked, or pickled, and are known by many names, including lasora in Hindi. One such species is Cordia dichotoma, which is called gunda in Hindi.

The Surinam Cherry, Brazilian Cherry, or Cayenne Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) is a plant in the family Myrtaceae, native to tropical America . Known as Pitanga throughout Brazil , it is a large shrub or small tree with a conical form, growing slowly to 8 meters in height. The leaves are glossy green, up to 4 cm long, and new leaves are copper-colored. Fragrant white flowers mature into reddish fruits up to 2 cm in diameter. The flavor ranges from sweet to sour, depending on the cultivar and level of ripeness (the darker red to black range is quite sweet, while the green to orange range is strikingly tart). The Surinam Cherry is often used in gardens as a hedge or screen. The fruit is high in Vitamin C, and its predominant food use in most of the places it occurs is as a flavoring and base for jams and jellies.

Bubinga wood is often used by luthiers for harps and other instruments because of its mellow and well-rounded sound.

These species are found in Equatorial Africa, from Southeast Nigeria, through Cameroon and Gabon to the Congo region. They occur in swampy or periodically inundated forests, as well as near rivers or at lakeshores.

This exotic and imported hardwood has heartwood that is yellow and orange, sometimes with rich red streaks that form a "rainbow-hue" across the board. Sapwood is yellowish. The texture and luster varies, as does the grain, straight to irregular. The wood has a distinctive odor when cut. Canary Wood is hard, heavy and strong.

Canary Wood is used for furniture - cabinetry - veneer - flooring - heavy construction - ship components and any exterior application. Canary wood is very durable.

Canary Wood is easy to work with hand or power tools. It sands, glues and takes finish well. Pre-bore for fasteners.

Cedar, in a strict botanical sense, refers to those trees belonging to the genus Cedrus in the coniferous plant family Pinaceae although the name is commonly used for other plants as well (see below). They are most closely related to the Firs (Abies), sharing a very similar cone structure. They are native to the mountains of the western Himalaya and the Mediterranean region, occurring at altitudes of 1,500-3200 m in the Himalaya and 1,000-2,200 m in the Mediterranean . They are trees up to 40-50 m (occasionally 60 m) tall with spicy-resinous scented wood, thick ridged or square-cracked bark, and broad, level branches. The shoots are dimorphic, with long shoots, which form the framework of the branches, and short shoots, which carry most of the leaves. The leaves are evergreen and needle-like, 8-60 mm long, arranged singly in an open spiral phyllotaxis on long shoots, and in dense spiral clusters on short shoots; they vary from bright grass-green to dark green to strongly glaucous pale blue-green, depending on the thickness of the white wax layer which protects the leaves from desiccation. The cones are barrel-shaped, 6-12 cm long, and, as in Abies, disintegrate at maturity to release the winged seeds. The seeds are 10-15 mm long, with a 20-30 mm wing; as in Abies, the seeds have 2-3 resin blisters, containing an unpleasant-tasting resin, thought to be a defence against squirrel predation. Cone maturation takes one year, with pollination in September-October and the seeds maturing the same time a year later. Cedars are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Pine Processionary and Turnip Moth (recorded on Deodar Cedar).

There are five taxa of Cedrus, assigned according to taxonomic opinion to two to four different species:

Deodar Cedrus deodara. Western Himalaya . Leaves bright green to pale glaucous green, 25-60 mm; cones with slightly ridged scales.

Lebanon Cedar or Cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libani. Mountains of the Mediterranean region, from Turkey and Lebanon west to Morocco . Leaves dark green to glaucous blue-green, 8-25 mm; cones with smooth scales; four varieties, which are treated as species by many authors:

Lebanon Cedar Cedrus libani var. libani Mountains of Lebanon , western Syria and south-central Turkey . Leaves dark green to glaucous blue-green, 10-25 mm.

Turkish Cedar Cedrus libani var. stenocoma Mountains of southwest Turkey . Leaves glaucous blue-green, 8-25 mm.

Cyprus Cedar Cedrus libani var. brevifolia or Cedrus brevifolia. Mountains of Cyprus . Leaves glaucous blue-green, 8-20 mm.

Atlas Cedar Cedrus libani var. atlantica or Cedrus atlantica. Atlas mountains in Morocco & Algeria . Leaves dark green to glaucous blue-green, 10-25 mm.

Cedar wood is not only scented, but also has an attractive color and grain. Cedars are very popular ornamental trees, widely used in horticulture in temperate climates where winter temperatures do not fall below about -25° C (the Turkish Cedar is slightly hardier, to -30° C or just below). They are also grown for their durable (decay-resistant) scented wood, most famously used in the construction of King Solomon's temple in Jerusalem provided by King Hiram, or Ahiram, of Tyre , Lebanon , circa 1,000 BC. The wood is also used for humbler purposes requiring resistance to weather, such as shakes and shingles. Cedar wood and cedar oil is known to be a natural repellant to moths [1], hence hope chests were made of cedar when available. Extensive reforestation of cedar is carried out in the Mediterranean region, particularly Turkey , where over 50 million young cedars are being planted annually.

Cedrela odorata (Spanish cedar, Mexican cedar, Cigar-box cedar, Cedro-cheiroso) is a monoecious semi-deciduous tree ranging in height from 10 meters to 30 meters. The trunk has a thick gray - brown colored bark, with longitudinal irregular grain. Pinnately compound leaves, grouped towards the end of the branches, ranging from 15 cm to 50 cm long, with pairs of scythe-shaped leaflets, lanceolate to oblong, 7-15 x 3-5 cm, with the base obliquely truncated and asymmetric. This plant is often used for honey production (beekeeping).

Cocobolo is a hardwood from Central America yielded by two to four closely related species of the genus Dalbergia. The best known and probably the species contributing most of the wood in the trade is Dalbergia retusa, a fair-sized tree, reported to reach 20-25 m in height. Because of its great beauty and high value, this species has been heavily exploited and the tree is now in danger of extinction outside of national parks, reserves and plantations.

Cocobolo is a very beautiful wood, known to change color after being cut. It usually is orange in hue, with a figuring of darker irregular traces weaving through the wood. It is fine textured and oily in look and feel, and stands up well to repeated handling and exposure to water. A prime use is in gun grips and knife handles. Cocobolo is also extraordinarily dense, and even a large block of the cut wood will produce a clear musical tone if struck.

Only relatively small amounts of this prized wood reach the world market and it is expensive. Cocobolo is highly favored for fine inlay work, brush backs, knife handles, musical instruments (especially guitars and basses, Alembic Inc consider Cocobolo to be their house wood and many famous players such as Stanley Clarke use such basses), pistol grips, decorative and figured veneers, bowls, jewelry boxes, and other expensive specialty items. It is also used for luxury pens. Probably the most famous example of this is from the collection of lawyer Charles Kramer of Fox Point , WI .

Care must be used when working this wood, as its sawdust is dangerous; many people develop an allergy when exposed to it. A sawdust collecting system must be in operation.

Hickory is a tree of the genus Carya (from Ancient Greek kary "nut") including 17-19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and large nuts.

Of the 17-19 species, 12-13 are native to North America (11-12 in the United States , 1 in Mexico ), and 5-6 species from China and Indochina .

Another Asian species, Beaked Hickory, previously listed as Carya sinensis, is now treated in a separate genus Annamocarya, as Annamocarya sinensis.

Hickory flowers are small yellow-green catkins produced in spring. They are anemophilous and self-incompatible. The fruit is a globose or oval nut, 2-5 cm long and 1.5-3 cm diameter, enclosed in a four-valved husk which splits open at maturity. The nut shell is thick and bony in most species, thin in a few, notably C. illinoinensis; it is divided into two halves which split apart when the seed germinates.

In the APG system, genus Carya (and the whole Juglandaceae family) has been recently moved to the Fagales order.

Hickory wood is extremely tough, yet flexible, and is valued for tool handles, bows (like yew), wheel spokes, carts, drumsticks, golf club shafts (sometimes still called hickory stick, even though made of steel or graphite), walking canes etc. and for punitive use as a switch or rod (like hazel), and especially as a cane-like hickory stick in schools. Baseball bats (also used as substitute paddle or even modified for physical punishment) were formerly made of hickory but are now more commonly made of ash. Hickory is also highly prized for wood-burning stoves, because of its high caloric content. Hickory wood is also a preferred type for smoke curing meats. In the Southern US , hickory is popular for cooking barbeque, as hickory grows abundantly in the region, and adds flavor to the meat. Hickory is sometimes used for hardwood flooring due to its durability and character.

A bark extract from shagbark hickory is also used in an edible syrup that is similar to maple syrup, with a slightly bitter, smoky taste.

The nuts of some species are palatable, while others are bitter and only suitable for animal feed. Shagbark and Shellbark Hickories, along with the Pecan, are regarded by some as the finest nut trees.

When cultivated for their nuts, note that because of their self-incompatibility, clonal (grafted) trees of the same cultivar cannot pollenize each other. Two or more different cultivars must be planted together for successful pollination. Seedlings (grown from hickory nuts) will usually have sufficient genetic variation.

Iroko (hardwood)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Iroko is a hardwood from tropical Africa. It is one of the woods sometimes referred to as African Teak, although it is not always suitable as a substitute for teak.

In much of the literature on this timber the names of the trees that yields it are given as Chlorophora excelsa and Chlorophora regia.

The wood is used for a variety of purposes including boat-building, domestic flooring and furniture. From the late 90s, it was used as part of the txalaparta, a Basque musical instrument constructed of wooden boards, due to its lively sound.

Colour:- Initially yellow but darkens to a richer brown over time.

Advantages:- Similar appearance to teak and less expensive but is not as durable.

Dense graining and high oil content make it quite durable for external use. Unlike teak but in common with most other timber, Iroko requires regular treatment with oil or varnish when used outdoors.

This exotic and imported hardwood has heartwood that is reddish-brown with numerous broad rays present on quartered material, which show against the lighter background as a decorative fleck figure. The wood is straight grained with a fine to medium texture. This wood looks much like the Australian Lacewood. The major difference is this Lacewood is darker and heavier.

Lacewood is used for furniture - cabinet making - turnery - joinery - paneling - marquetry - inlays - accents and veneer.

Works well with hand and power tools. Must keep cutting edges sharp. The wood glues well. Lacewood also stains and polishes well (with care) to an excellent finish. Must pre-bore for fasteners.

Lyptus is the trade name of a wood made from a hybrid of two species of Eucalyptus tree, Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus urophylla. Developed for quick harvesting, and grown on plantations in Brazil , Lyptus is marketed as an environmentally friendly alternative to oak, cherry, mahogany, and other wood products that may be harvested from old growth forests. Lyptus trees can be harvested for lumber in approximately 15 years, much sooner than woods from cooler climates.[1]

Lyptus is grown in plantations operated by Aracruz Celulose S.A., and is distributed in North America by Weyerhaeuser. The plantations are located in the Brazilian state of Bahia .

Lyptus has mechanical properties similar to many hardwoods, and is most often compared to maple. It is a closed-grain wood, and is harder than oak. The high hardness and closed grain structure make it popular for cabinetry, millwork and flooring. The coloration varies from a light salmon to a deeper red. With exposure to UV light, the pigments darken slightly.

The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored wood, originally the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban Mahogany. It was later used also for the wood of Swietenia macrophylla, which is closely related, and known as Honduras Mahogany. Today, all species of Swietenia are listed by CITES, and are therefore protected. Species of Swietenia cross readily when they grow in proximity, the hybrid between S. mahagoni and S. macrophylla is widely planted.

The name "mahogany" is also commonly used to refer to the African genus Khaya (closely related to Swietenia), hence the term African Mahogany.

"Mahoganies" may refer to the wider group of all the timbers yielded by the three related genera Swietenia, Khaya and Entandrophragma. The timbers of Entandrophragma are traded under their individual names, sometimes with "mahogany" attached as a suffix, for example "sipo" may be referred to as "sipo mahogany".

In addition, the timber trade deals with various so-called "mahoganies", under a variety of different names, most notably "Philippine mahogany". These woods are unrelated to "true" Mahogany.

Mahogany has a generally straight grain and is usually free of voids and pockets. It has a reddish brown color which darkens over time, and displays a beautiful reddish sheen when polished. It has excellent workability, and is very durable and slow to rot. These properties make it a favorable wood for boat making, as tradition has shown, as well as for making furniture and upholstery (see Chippendale), musical instruments, and other durable objects.

Mahogany is a very popular material for drum making, because of its great integrity and capability to produce a very dark, warm tone compared to other more common wood types like maple or birch. The famous Beatles sound of the 60s was made with Ludwig Drums in mahogany shells. Today, several drum manufacturers have rediscovered the features of mahogany shells, resulting in several high end series offering shells made in this wood. The buyer should be cautious, however, because Philippine mahogany, an inferior material and not a real mahogany at all, is often used in low-end drums.

A wide variety of electric guitars are also made from mahogany, like Gibson's Les paul line and most of the PRS guitars among others. It is noted, again, for its dark properties, as well as its weight (Gibson Les Pauls may weigh as much as 15 pounds), the combination of which produces a warm, rounded tone with huge sustain, for which the guitar is famous.

It should also be noted that Mahogany is a very popular choice of material for luthiers constructing all grades of acoustic guitars. Mahogany is a Japanese analogue to the English "haymaker".

Maples are trees or shrubs in the genus Acer. There are approximately 125 species, most of which are native to Asia, but several species also occur in Europe, northern Africa, and North America . Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or (together with the Hippocastanaceae) included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification, favor inclusion in Sapindaceae.

The word Acer is derived from a Latin word meaning "sharp" (referring to the characteristic points on the leaves) and was first applied to the genus by the French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in 1700.[1]

Maples are mostly trees growing to 10-40 metres (30-130 ft) in height. Others are shrubs less than 10 metres tall with a number of small trunks originating at ground level. Most species are deciduous, but a few in southern Asia and the Mediterranean region are evergreen.

Maples are distinguished by opposite leaf arrangement. The leaves in most species are palmately veined and lobed, with 3-9 veins each leading to a lobe, one of which is in the middle. A small number of species differ in having palmate compound, pinnate compound, pinnate veined or unlobed leaves.

Several species, including the Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum), Manchurian Maple (Acer mandshuricum), Nikko Maple (Acer maximowiczianum), and Three-flowered Maple (Acer triflorum), have trifoliate leaves. One species, Box Elder (Acer negundo), has pinnately compound leaves that may be simply trifoliate or may have five, seven, or rarely nine leaflets. One maple, the Hornbeam Maple (Acer carpinifolium), has pinnately-veined simple leaves that resemble those of hornbeam.

The flowers are regular, pentamerous, and borne in racemes, corymbs, or umbels. They have five sepals, five petals about 1 to 6 mm long, 12 stamens about 6-10 mm long in two rings of six, and two pistils or a pistil with two styles.[citation needed] The ovary is superior and has two carpels, whose wings elongate the flowers, making it easy to tell which flowers are female.[citation needed] Maples flower in late winter or early spring, in most species with or just after the leaves appear, but in some before them.

Maple flowers are green, yellow, orange or red. Though individually small, the effect of an entire tree in flower can be striking in several species. Some maples are an early spring source of pollen and nectar for bees.

The distinctive fruit are called samaras or "maple keys". These seeds occur in distinctive pairs each containing one seed enclosed in a "nutlet' attached to a flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue. They are shaped to spin as they fall and to carry the seeds a considerable distance on the wind. Seed maturation is usually in a few weeks to six months of flowering, with seed dispersal shortly after maturity. Most species require stratification in order to germinate, and some seeds can remain dormant in the soil for several years before germinating.[1]

Maples are planted as ornamental trees by homeowners, businesses and municipalities. Norway Maple (A. platanoides) is especially popular as it is fast-growing and extremely cold-resistant, though is also an invasive species in some regions. Other maples, especially smaller or more unusual species, are popular as specimen trees.[1]

Maple is often used in necks of guitars. It provides resonance and a lighter weight than many other woods used in necks such as rosewood. Also the look of a maple neck is appealing to many guitar players.

Flame maple, also known as flamed maple, curly maple, fiddleback or tiger stripe, is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating pattern, producing wavy lines known as "flames". This effect is often mistakenly said to be part of the grain of the wood; it is more accurately called "figure", as the distortion is perpendicular to the grain direction. Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of musical instruments, such as violins, and fine furniture. Another well-known use of the material is its use in electric guitars, especially the venerated Gibson Les Paul. The first models of the Les Paul, introduced in 1958 and 1959, known as the "Standard", sported a top of flame maple, finished in a cherry-red sunburst, on a mahogany body. Today, these instruments are some of the most prized on the vintage guitar market.

Any of several timber trees of the genus Pterocarpus of the pea family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae). The name refers especially to P. indicus, or

India

padauk, or the hard wood, noted for its ability to take a high polish, that is derived from the trees. Narra wood is used for cabinetwork; it is usually red or rose colour, often variegated with yellow, and is hard and heavy.