Swartzia leiocalycina

Swartzia leiocalycina, or Wamara, is an evergreen tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. Its native range runs from Guyana to Suriname in northern South America. It grows in the wet tropics and forms part of the forest canopy. It occurs in both seasonal forest and rainforest. Mixed rainforest is its main habitat. In some seasonal forests, it forms a large share of the canopy.

The tree has a small crown and a straight, round trunk. The trunk may have a flat side or low flanges and buttresses. Sources list a height of about 92 feet [28 metres]. The detailed forest account gives an upper height of 108 feet [33 metres]. PFAF lists a spread of 82 feet [25 metres]. In forest trees, the trunk can lack branches for 66 feet [20 metres]. These figures describe a large tree, not a small garden specimen.

PFAF reports a medium growth rate and a need for sun. It lists moist, well-drained sandy or loamy soil as suitable. The stated soil range runs from mildly acid to neutral. Its listed USDA range is zones 10–12. Bacteria live in nodules on its roots and fix nitrogen from the air. The tree uses some of this nitrogen. Nearby plants may also gain some benefit. The sources list seed as a means of propagation.

People harvest wild trees for timber, which enters the export trade. Only the largest trees form heartwood. This inner wood can be brown, reddish purple, or purple-brown, sometimes with darker stripes. A distinct band of white sapwood surrounds it. The wood has a fine texture and often straight grain. It is heavy, hard, dense, and strong. Uses include fine furniture, cabinets, inlay, floors, walking sticks, and musical instruments. Craftspeople also turn it into small objects and polish it to a sheen.

The heartwood resists decay, but the sapwood lacks that durability. The timber also resists dry-wood termite damage. It dries slowly and can crack during drying. Its hardness makes it hard to work, and it bonds poorly with glue. Drilling holes before nailing helps avoid problems. Neither PFAF nor Useful Tropical Plants lists known food or medicinal uses. That lack of recorded use does not establish that the plant is safe to eat.