sucupira

open main page for all woods open page 2 for articles

NOTE: there is rarely any "standard" or "typical" look for a wood so take what's in this table with a grain of salt
the REST of the pictures on this page will give you a better overall feel for this wood

sucupira / various species
SEE FACT SHEET FOR VARIOUS BOTANICAL NAMES
5" x 5" flat cut, 5" x 5" quartersawn, 1" x 1" end grain, and a 1/4" x 1/4" end grain closeup.

This page includes all of the woods that I have found listed as sucupira. See the fact sheet for a discussion of the species that might be included. There are several different species already shown on this page.

Because of the significantly differing charcateristics of the various species, I am not listing any specifics on the end grain characteristics and I refer you to the images below.

The sample pics to the left are NOT all from the same species. The only thing you can count on for "sucupira" is that it is a very grainy wood, whatever the species is.

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 tatabu / Diplotropis purpurea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The labeled side is raw but the 2nd side has been sanded to 240 grit

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of sucupira / Diplotropis purpurea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Although the vendor of the sample was not sure if this is Diplotropis purpurea or Diplotropis racemosa, based on the end grain I believe it is Diplotropis purpurea.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of sucupira / Diplotropis purpurea --- 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 HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above

both sides of a sample plank of sucupira / Diplotropis purpurea --- HUGE enlargements are present.

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

both sides of a sample plank of sucupira amarella / Bowdichia nitida --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. I have also found the name "black sucupira" for this species. The labeled side is raw but the 2nd side has been sanded to 240 grit and so shows details better.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of sucupira / Bowdichia virgilioides--- 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 yellow sucupira / Sweetia fruticosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The color difference is because the first face was sanded to 400 grit so as to show the grain patterns better (see the enlargements) and the 2nd side retains a slight age patina. If you look at the end grain update enlargements, you'll see that each small pore is surrounded by vasicentric parenchyma and if you then look at the first face enlarments you'll see that there are what appear to be little straws cut sharply at an angle with holes in them. This is the parenchyma tissue and the pore.)

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of yellow sucupira / Sweetia fruticosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. I did not make a note of it at the time I had the sample and I do not now remember if I had any opinion on why there is such a noticable difference in color between the two sides, but I THINK it's because the left 2/3rd of the second face are becoming sapwood, which tends to that color.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of chontaquiro / Diplotropis martinsii (should be martiusii) --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. As stated in the fact sheet, there are numerous species with the name supupira and this one is significantly different than what is normally seen as sucupira in the USA.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a flooring sample of yellow sucupira / Sweetia fruticosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Note that the first face has a finishing agent and the second, grooved, face was sanded to 240 grit so the face grain characteristics can be seen very clearly in the enlargements

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

plank of sucupira / Diplotropis spp. and an end grain shot

end grain closeup of the piece directly above --- I see I got it inverted

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

plank of sucupira / Diplotropis spp. and a closeup

plank of sucupira / Diplotropis spp. and end grain

end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above

side grain of the piece directly above (face grain showing on top)

both sides of a sample plank of sucupira / species unknown --- HUGE enlargements are present. This was sent to me for identification. It appears to be a Diplotropis spp. but I don't know that for sure

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

turning square (two sides) and end grain --- this piece was contributed by one of my correspondents who wanted help in identifying it. I couldn't get the color to come out quite right on these. The piece is slightly more brown and slightly less red than what is shown here.

veneer

veneer and closeup

more veneer, from a different lot (& different vendor) --- the tight interlocked grain pattern causes what looks like a diffraction pattern, but that goes away if you look at the enlargement.

veneer, one sheet with sapwood

web pics:

end grain listed as sucupira / Diplotropis purpurea

planks

plank listed as black sucupira / Bowdichia nitida

planks specifically listed as Diplotropis purpureae

planks, all listed as chontqquiro (another common name for sucupira) and with a botanical designation of Diplotropis purpureae

planks listed as tatabu (another common name for sucupira) and with a botanical designation of Diplotropis purpureae

these three pieces were all listed as sucupira with a botanical designation of Bowdichia spp. (see fact sheet for further discussion of names). They are a plank, quartersawn veneer, and flat cut veneer

planks, all from the same vendor and all listed as sucupira / Bowdichia virgilioides (which they had misspelled as "virgiloides"). Both levels of enlargement are present.

plank listed as chontaquiro amarillo, which is supposed to be an alternate common name for sucupira, but based on the color, I'd say this is a different wood

veneer

veneer listed as sucupira / Diplottropis purpurea

veneer with completely believable color

veneer --- green color is suspect

veneer sheets and closeup

this shot is from the BogusColorVendor, so I doubt the red content.

both sides of a plank and a closeup from the BogusColorVendor so colors are highly suspect --- ah, wait, that's not what I mean. What I mean is the colors are RIDICULOUS and typical of the total dishonesty of that vendor