The wood is particularly well adapted for use in tool handles, agricultural implements, sporting goods, and other uses utilizing its high bending strength and good shock resistance qualities. The wood is used extensively for cogs and shafts, heavy construction, turnery, fishing rods, paving blocks, barge and dock fenders, and flooring. When unpainted wood is exposed to the elements, it weathers well as to surface smoothness and freedom from warp and checking. It is difficult to work because of its high density and hardness hard to saw and bore, but if sawn or bored clean edges and holes result when severely interlocked grain is not present, the wood planes and finishes to a smooth surface it glues poorly, as do many other woods of very high density, but takes a high polish. The wood is also very strong, very dense, tough and very resistant to decay when in contact with the soil. It is an extremely hard and heavy wood, similar to lignum vitae (Guaiacum spp.) in this respect. The texture is fine lustre medium the grain irregular to often interlocked no distinctive taste but a faint vanilla-like or rancid odour a waxy or oily feel is also a characteristic of the wood. The fresh heartwood is a reddish-brown or purplish-brown colour with attractive light yellowish-brown or purplish streaks, seasoning to a variegated reddish and yellowish brown but after exposure to light gradually becoming a uniform yellowish brown or light brown it is distinctly demarcated from the 3 - 5cm wide band of brownish yellow or yellowish brown sapwood. It is also an aromatic ingredient in tobaccos and snuffs. Other Uses: Coumarin, obtained from the seeds, is added to perfumes as a fixative. The trees are grown to provide shade in cocoa plantations[310 The leaves contains salicylic, hydroxycoumaric, coumaric and ferulic acids. Bark contains isoflavones and umbelliferone. The seed contains coumarin, which is used in perfume and for flavouring tobacco and whisky. The leaves are crushed to make a snuff powder. A cold water infusion of the leaves is used as an ear wash to treat earache. It is said to be effective in controlling dysentery. The oil from the seeds is used to alleviate stomach aches, to treat sores in the mouth, to fortify the scalp and improve hair growth. The seeds have been used in the past to treat whooping cough, but recent research has shown that the aromatic coumarins they contain can have detrimental effects upon the heart and liver, and may also cause cancer. The seed is mixed with rum to make a tincture that is rubbed on snakebite, contusions and rheumatism. A decoction of the seed and sugar is used as a cold remedy. They are considered to be antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, cardiotonic and emmenagogue. The fragrant seeds are a rich source of coumarin. A decoction, combined with the crushed whole plant of Tonina fluviatilis, is used to prepare an infant fortifier. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants.
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