Trade name: Sapeli Country of origin: Africa Occurrence:West, Central, East Africa, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Zaire, Uganda. Uses: Veneer wood, sliced wood for face veneer, furniture, paneling, parquet, doors, construction lumber, piano industry. Character: Pale pink to dark heartwood, rapidly darkening to reddish brown. Aboudikro, which comes mainly from the Ivory Coast, is generally darker than wood from other growing regions. High demand for narrow-grained blocks with center diameters from 1 m upward. Special Features: The heartwood, initially pinkish brown to light red in color, acquires an intense reddish brown hue as it dries. Through surface treatment, the coloration gains additional depth and a golden luster similar to genuine mahogany. The pronounced alternating rotary growth results in beautiful glossy streaks, which are often very narrow and even. On the radial surfaces, the numerous fine mirrors additionally enliven the wood appearance.