Scientific Name
Ampelocera hottlei
Trade Name
Cautivo
Family Name
Ulmaceae
Synonyms
Celtis hottlei
Common Names
Cautivo, Cuerillo, Female bull hoof, Frijolillo, Luin, Zitsmuk
Regions of Distribution
Central America, Latin America
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
Belize, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama
Common Uses
Brush backs & handles, Railroad ties, Structural work
Heartwood Color
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Black | ||||||||||||
| Purple | ||||||||||||
| Orange | ||||||||||||
| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange | ||||||||||||
| Purple | ||||||||||||
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Black |
Sapwood Color
| White | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| White to yellow | ||||||||||||
| Clearly differentiated from the heartwood |
Grain
| Figure | ||||||||||||
| Other (figure) |
| Other figure |
Texture
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Fine | ||||||||||||
| Fine to medium |
Luster
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Lustrous |
Natural Growth Defects
| Gum and mineral deposits |
Natural Durability
| Durable | ||||||||||||
| Moderately durable | ||||||||||||
| Durable | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to wood staining fungal attack | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) | ||||||||||||
| Moderately durable |
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy | ||||||||||||
| Easy |
Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is buttressed |
Tree Size
| Tree height is 30-40 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Bark width is 5-10 mm |
Product Sources
Timber produced by this species is often marketed in a mixture with other species in the Meliaceae family, and also as Pacific maple.
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work | ||||||||||||
| Easy to machine |
Turning
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Easy to turn |
Strength Properties
| Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Radial = moderate | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Density | 36 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Weight | 35 | 29 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 4 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 7 | % | |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Density | 576 | kg/m3 | |
| Weight | 560 | 464 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 4 | % |
References
Belize,1946,42 Secondary Hardwood Timbers of British Honduras,British Honduras Forest Department Bulletin,No.1
Pennington, T.D., Sarukhan, J.,1968,Manual para la Identificacion de campo de los Principales Arboles,Tropicales de Mexico,Inst. Nac. Inv. For. Mexico
Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press