Chechen

Chechen (Metopium brownei)

Common Name(s): Chechen, Chechem, Black Poisonwood, Caribbean Rosewood

Distribution: Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, northern Guatemala, Belize, and from the Yucatan to Veracruz in Mexico

Tree Size: 50-115 ft (15-35 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 57 lbs/ft³ (920 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .74

Hardness: 2,300 lb_f (10,200 N)

Bending Strength: No data available.

Elasticity: No data available.

Shrinkage: Radial: 4.0%, Tangential: 7.0%, Volumetric: 10.0%, T/R Ratio: ~1.8

Color/Appearance: Heartwood color is highly varied, with red, orange, and brown contrasted with darker stripes of blackish brown.

Grain/Pore: Has a fine texture and small pores. The grain is usually straight but can also be wild and wavy with interlocking.

Durability: Rated as being very durable, and resistant to most insect attack.

Workability: The wood is overall fairly easy to work, with the exception of planing/surfacing, which can present some problems if the grain is interlocked. Glues and finishes well, though because of its density and tendency to split, nails and screws should have holes pre-bored.

Smell: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Chechen has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price Range: Should be relatively inexpensive for an import. Price compares similarly to that of Bloodwood or Honduran Mahogany.

Comments: Chechen gets its aleternate name, black poisonwood, from its toxic sap that turns black and causes severe skin reactions similar to poison ivy. The wood itself is safe to handle, though there are some health ailments associated from inhaling its wood dust (see safety section above).

Chechen is hard, fairly heavy, and has beautiful coloration. Because of these characteristics, it is sometimes referred to as Caribbean Rosewood, though it is not actually in the Dalbergia genus.