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Brazil's Main Wood Species

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Brazil has one of the biggest forest areas of the world, with a great diversity of species and types that produce wood and essences for pratically every utilization.

The main species in the market (our total: 84) are:

1. abieiro: also known under the name of abi ou abiu-grande, tree of the family of sapotaceae, this word indicates Pouteria caimito, whose wood is used in the making of instruments of music. The fruit is abiu (word origin from Tupi). See also goiabão below.
2. acapu: this tree of big size (20 m) is the Vouacapoua americana, typical from North Brazil. Its resistent wood is commonly used in the furniture's industry and in cabinet-maker in general.
3. amapá: is the name of the specie Parahancornia amapa, tree whose bitter bark has medicinal properties (respiratory system), and whose wood is used in cabinet-maker and furniture industry.
4. anani: word origin from Tupi to indicate the Symphonia globulifera, that produces a specie of wood commonly used in cabinet-maker. The region where it comes from is Central America.
5. andiroba: word origin from Tupi to indicate the Carapa guianensis. This tree produces a specie of wood very appreciated to building construction, ships, beams, masts and the furniture industry. This wood a little heavy.
6. angelim: this is the common name of several trees of the family of leguminosas-papilionáceas, of the specie Andira, among them the Andira vermifuga (angelim-amargoso), the Andira legalis (angelim-coco), the Andira pisonis (angelimpinima), the Andira spinulosa (angelim-de-espinho) and the Andira araroba (angelim-araroba). Besides the utilization of this wood in general building construction, the bark of the angelim has vermifuge properties. Others species of angelim: angelim-de-folha-larga (see acapu above); angelim-do-campo (Andira laurifolia); angelim-do-pará (of the specie Hymenolobium); angelim-pedra (Ferreirea spectabilis and Hymenolobium petraeum) and angelim-rosa (Platycyamus regnelli).
7. angelim-pedra: see above.
8. angico: a tree typical of our regions, angico is the common name of several species of trees of the species Piptadenia (family of the leguminosas-mimosáceas). Among these, the main species: angico-de-minas or favela-branca (), angico-do-campo, angico-preto or arapiraca (Piptadenia macrocarpa), angico-roxo (Piptadenia cebil), angico-verdadeiro (Piptadenia rigida), angico-vermelho (Piptadenia rigida or Pithecolobium gummiferum) and angico-rajado or pau-pepu (Pithecolobium incuriale). A variant known as angico-surucucu is the other name of catanduva or catanduba. Its wood is largely used in cabinet-maker and in building construction.