BOCOTE
A  hardwood
Botanical Name: Cardia  spp
A beautiful substitute for rosewood, bocote is one of the many types of cordia-- a group of hardwoods found throughout the West Indies, tropical America, Africa and Asia. Bocotte's texture is similar to teak-- although it is somewhat harder -- and it's wild figure patterns stunning cabinet work. The wood is available only in small sizes.
Other Name: Cordia
Sources: Mexico, Belize, Honduras.
Characteristics: Straight grain; moderately coarse texture; green to golden yellow with black figure patterns.
Uses: Furniture, cabinets, interior joinery, turning and decorative veneers.
Workability: Generally good; blunts cutting edges slightly; good bending properties.
Finishing: Accepts finishes well.
Weight: 48 lb./cu. ft.
Price: Expensive.

      BUBINGA
A hardwood
Botanical Name: Guibourtia spp.
A rosewood substitute, bubinga's logs often weigh more then 10 tons; they can be cut into extremely wide planks. Kevazingo, a veneer peeled from irregularly grained logs, possesses a wild, flame-like figure that is popular for cabinetwork.
Other Names: African rosewood, essingang, keazingo (rotary-cut
veneer only).
Sources: Equatorial Africa (Cameroon, Gabon and Zaire).
Characteristics: Very dense; fine grain; purplish pink to salmon red, with dark purple veining. Quartersawn boards often show very attractive black mottle figure.
Uses: Turning, furniture, cabinetwork and veneers.
Workability: Generally good; irregular grain tends to tear when hand-planed; pre-bore for nailing.
Finishing: Excellent.
Weight: 55 lb./cu. ft.
Price: Expensive.