Louro Vermelho
Scientific name: Sextonia rubra
Overview
Louro Vermelho, Sextonia rubra, is a durable South American laurel-family timber formerly classified as Ocotea rubra. Its pale reddish-brown heartwood, golden luster, and straight to interlocked grain can recall a dense mahogany, especially on quarter-sawn surfaces. Medium density, good stability in service, and resistance to weathering have supported uses ranging from furniture and interior joinery to flooring, exterior construction, boatbuilding, and cooperage.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Louro Vermelho
- Scientific Name: Sextonia rubra
- Region: South America Woods
- Tree Size: Clear bole commonly 59–82 ft (18–25 m); trunk about 20–35 in (50–90 cm) in diameter
- Average Dried Weight: Approximately 39–41 lb/ft³ (630–660 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: Reliable species-specific value not confirmed
- Color: Golden brown to reddish brown
- Grain: Straight to interlocked
- Texture: Medium to coarse
Identification Characteristics
The sapwood is clearly differentiated from pale reddish-brown heartwood, which often shows a warm golden sheen. Grain ranges from straight to interlocked, with quarter-sawn boards capable of displaying ribbon-like figure. Texture is medium to rather coarse and natural luster moderate to high. Seasoned wood is generally reported without a distinctive taste or odor.
Key identification traits include:
- Pale reddish-brown heartwood
- Clearly demarcated lighter sapwood
- Golden natural luster
- Straight to interlocked grain
- Ribbon figure possible on quarter-sawn surfaces
- Medium to coarse texture
Working Properties
Louro Vermelho saws and works readily with hand and power tools and performs well in turning and carving. Interlocked grain requires sharp cutters and careful planing to control tearout. It stains and polishes well after the relatively coarse pores are filled. Seasoning can be slow because moisture diffuses gradually, but movement in service is low to moderate once dry. The durable heartwood is difficult to impregnate with preservatives.
- Saws and machines well
- Turns and carves readily
- Interlocked grain may tear during planing
- Filling improves polished finishes
- Dries slowly and benefits from conservative schedules
- Stable in service after proper seasoning
Safety Note
Specific reaction reports for Sextonia rubra are limited, but wood dust can irritate eyes, skin, and the respiratory tract. Use local extraction, safety glasses, and an appropriate respirator, especially during sanding.
Common Uses
Its durability, stable service behavior, warm color, and good workability support both decorative and demanding utility applications, including:
- Furniture and cabinetry
- Flooring, stairs, paneling, and trim
- Interior and exterior construction
- Boat and shipbuilding
- Window and sash frames
- Cooperage
- Turned and carved work
- Bent components and vehicle bodies
Sustainability & Notes
Sextonia rubra is accepted by Plants of the World Online; Ocotea rubra is an older synonym still common in timber literature. Kew reports an IUCN assessment of Least Concern. That broad status does not verify the legality or sustainability of a particular board. Traceable origin and responsible forest-management documentation remain important for tropical timber purchases.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Louro Amarelo – A heavier aromatic Lauraceae wood with yellow-brown coloring.
Imbuia-de-Cheiro – A paler and lighter laurel-family timber from tropical and subtropical America.
Imbuia – A darker, often figured Ocotea timber used for decorative furniture and veneer.
Related Guides
Wood Families & Trade Groups – Understand botanical relationships and the limits of common trade names.
How to Identify Exotic Hardwood by Grain Pattern – Review practical visual features used in preliminary identification.
Identifying Unknown Wood Samples – Learn why provenance and anatomical evidence matter when similar woods share a name.
Compare Wood Properties
See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.
Collector Notes
A good Louro Vermelho sample offers warm reddish color, golden luster, and potentially attractive quarter-sawn figure without extreme weight. Collectors should record the accepted name Sextonia rubra together with the historically common synonym Ocotea rubra, since older collections and timber catalogs frequently use the latter.
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Resources
Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:
• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/
• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/
Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.
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