Licaria chrysophylla

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Common products:
Licaria chrysophylla is the source of L. chrysophylla timber, commonly traded as “angelim” or “pará-angelim.” Round logs are shipped as sawn lumber and veneer. Sawnwood is used in heavy construction (bridges, posts, sleepers), exterior joinery, flooring, and furniture components.

Industrial and craft applications:
Sawnwood is employed in general carpentry, fencing, and decking where decay resistance is required. Veneer is used in interior panelling and furniture faces; boards are crafted into turned objects and tool handles.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No verified culinary applications are documented; the species is not reported as an edible plant or flavoring.

Colorants and tanning:
No records of tannins, dyes, or inks are associated with this taxon.

Wood and fiber:
The heartwood is brown with darker streaks; sapwood is clearly demarcated. Density at 12% moisture is approximately 700–950 kg/m³. The wood is naturally durable, with class I durability against decay fungi in EN 350 testing; termite resistance is class IV (susceptible). It is suitable for exterior ground contact and above-ground uses. Wood is reported as suitable for kraft pulp and paper. Primary compounds responsible for durability are limonene and germacrene D (US 3,814,877). For processing, a green moisture of 35–50% is typical, with dry-basis shrinkage RS 4.5–7.0 and TS 6.5–8.5; air-drying rates are medium to fast. Boards may require pre-boring for nailing/screwing.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
Leaf and branch material contain essential oil with alpha-phellandrene (up to 77%) and limonene as minor constituents; oil yields from leaves are 1.5–3.0% (CCircular 63/1937, RB 2019). Oil has potential as a fragrance material but is not currently used commercially in formulations.

Properties relevant to use:
Oil composition (alpha-phellandrene-dominant) supports possible fragrance applications; high wood density and heartwood extractives confer biological resistance; cellulose/lignin/hemicellulose composition and fiber morphology are suitable for kraft pulping. Physical properties include density 700–950 kg/m³, RS 4.5–7.0, TS 6.5–8.5, and high Janka hardness around 7.5–11.0 kN; wood is rated strong for bending and compression.

Standards and regulation:
Brazilian timber trade follows national forestry laws and CITES permits if applicable. Documentation includes INMETRO’s IBAMA/ICMBio legal origins, INMETRO Ordinance No. 1266/2014 for forest-origin verification, and SIF/ICMBio certification. Cosmetic raw materials are regulated under ANVISA RDC No. 211/2005; essential oils must comply with RDC No. 225/2010 for contaminants.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Logs are harvested in the Amazon; information on population status and harvest volumes is scarce. Recommend ensuring legal origin and basic due diligence (CITES listing, national forestry permits). Logging mortality and habitat fragmentation are primary conservation concerns; high wood density and natural durability may reduce replacement frequency.

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No distribution data was extracted from POWO/KEW yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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