Description

Used in shipbuilding since Native American times, the white gum tree (Dacryodes excelsa), a large tree that can reach 35 meters in height and a diameter of 1.5 meters, has a straight, slender trunk. It secretes a flammable white resin with a turpentine odor, called gum or incense, at the slightest injury. This resin is often visible on the trunk or roots exposed to the ground. Although sensitive to termites and humidity, its wood can be used in furniture, cabinetmaking, carpentry, cladding, and crate making. But it is above all its trunk, hollowed out by fire, which Native Americans used to make canoes. Its gum is traditionally used to light fires because it burns slowly, regardless of the ambient humidity. It then gives off a strong incense odor.

Habitat

Dense humid forest of the Caribbean islands (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Haiti, Puerto Rico, etc.)

Threat factor :

The exploitation of raw materials (resin, wood) for industrial purposes is leading to its gradual extinction. And the traditional exploitation of this wood by cabinetmakers is also an aggravating factor.