Hymenolobium excelsum Ducke
Angelim da Mata is a hard, durable Amazon hardwood in the same Hymenolobium genus as our Angelim Pedra — a heavier, more construction-oriented cousin used for general and heavy carpentry, industrial flooring, and paneling.
Angelim da Mata (Hymenolobium excelsum) grows in the upland forests of the central and eastern Amazon and shares a genus with Angelim Pedra, though the two trade names aren't always the same species lot-to-lot — ask your REH contact which one a given order will ship as if the distinction matters for your project.
Freshly cut heartwood runs light orange-tan to yellow-brown, fading to a pale, pinkish-brown with exposure, in a coarse, straight-to-interlocked grain that sometimes shows partridge-wood-style figuring from alternating dark and light zones. It's a genuinely durable, hard-wearing wood, used more for construction and heavy carpentry than for fine furniture.
| Botanical Name | Hymenolobium excelsum |
|---|---|
| Family | Fabaceae (legume family) |
| Janka Hardness | ~1,720 lbf |
| Specific Gravity | 0.60 (oven-dry weight / green volume) |
| Average Dried Weight | ~47 lbs/ft³ (750 kg/m³) |
| Durability / Decay Resistance | Very durable against white-rot fungus, durable against brown-rot fungus |
| Insect / Termite Resistance | Vulnerable to dry-wood borers and termites; only moderately resistant to marine borers |
| Workability | Easy to work with hand and power tools; waxy resin patches can locally complicate machining; pre-bore for fasteners |
| Color | Light orange-tan to yellow-brown heartwood, fading to pale pinkish-brown with exposure |
| Grain & Texture | Straight to interlocked grain; coarse, uneven texture, occasionally partridge-wood figured |
| Origin | Central and eastern Brazilian Amazon, extending into the Guianas, Peru, and Bolivia |
Scroll for a closer look at the grain and color in person.
Very durable against white-rot fungus and durable against brown-rot — a genuinely decay-resistant wood suited to demanding construction use.
Rated vulnerable to dry-wood borers and termites despite its strong decay resistance — the two properties don't always travel together in this species. Pair with a borate treatment or barrier for ground-contact or high-pressure sites.
Its dense, hard structure resists ignition and slows flame spread better than softwoods, consistent with other dense hardwoods in this catalog, though it hasn't been independently fire-class rated.
At roughly 1,720 lbf Janka it's comparable in hardness to our Angelim Pedra, and works easily with ordinary tools despite the density — waxy resin patches can occasionally complicate a pass, and pre-boring is recommended for fasteners.
Common Applications
They're closely related — both are Hymenolobium species sold under Angelim trade names — but they aren't guaranteed to be the identical species lot to lot. If the distinction matters for your project, ask your REH contact which species a specific order will ship as.
No — despite its strong resistance to rot and fungal decay, it's rated vulnerable to dry-wood termites and borers. For ground-contact or high termite-pressure sites, plan on a borate treatment or physical barrier.
Heavy and general construction, joinery, paneling, industrial flooring, stairs, heavy carpentry, furniture components, and turnery — a working construction hardwood more than a fine-furniture species.
Roughly 1,720 lbf on the Janka scale — well above nearly every domestic hardwood, putting it in the same general hardness range as our Angelim Pedra.
Angelim da Mata from Rare Earth Hardwoods is sourced through our own Zero Impact Brazil facility, harvested sustainably and ethically, in compliance with all applicable regulatory agencies — the same accountable supply chain behind every species in our catalog.
Tell us your dimensions, grade, and volume — wholesale, commercial, or retail — and we'll confirm current availability.
Inquire About Your Project →We’re in the process of redeveloping our website for our slate of new offerings.
In the meantime, please send us a message or give us a call.
We’re particularly interested in your wholesale or commercial quantity inquiries.
