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KOTO

Pterygota spp.
Pterygota spp. of the family Sterculiaceae, the cacao family. Includes at least Pterygota bequaertii and Pterygota macrocarpa. There are a couple of other unrelated species that use koto as all or part of one or more of their common names but I'm not aware of there being any confusion between them and the Pterygota species that are sold as koto.

my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions

both sides of a sample plank of quartersawn koto / Pterygota bequaertii --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


both sides of a sample plank of quartersawn koto / Pterygota bequaertii --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of tula / Pterygota alata --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. This species is NOT sold as koto but it is closely related and has similar characteristics so rather than leave it out of the site entirely, I've included it here rather than create a whole page just for this one sample


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


veneer


quartersawn veneer exhibiting substantial ray flakes.

web pics:

planks


plank listed as koto / Pterygota spp.


plank with prominent ray flakes


quartersawn plank


planks listed as koto / Pterygota macrocarpa


plank listed as "lacy" koto --- I have not otherwise seen that designation and I don't see the wood as being "lacy" in any significant way although the pic is so poor it's hard to tell


veneer


veneer listed as koto / Pterygota bequaertii


steamed veneer listed as anatolia / Pterygota bequaertii


veneer listed as pterygota / Pterygota macrocarpa ("pterygota" is one of the common names for the species, even though it is a genus and so applies to a LOT of woods


listed as quartersawn veneer although the 2nd one does not look quartersawn to me


listed as koto veneer but I'm not familiar with a ribbon stripe variety, so find this suspect. This looks exactly like several other ribbon stripe woods (such as sapele and/or chen) with the color misrepresented


listed as steamed veneer


listed as unsteamed veneer