Lancewood

Lancewood, a wood valuable for its great strength and elasticity. It is produced by the small tree Guatteria virgata (natural order Anonaceæ). Another species, G. laurifolia, yields the wood called White Lancewood, which, however, is not much used. Lancewood is of great value to coach-builders, by whom it is used for shafts and carriage-poles, for which it is especially fitted. The part used is the main trunk of the tree, which is very straight, and rarely more than 9 inches in diameter with the bark on. It comes in small quantities from the West Indies, chiefly from Jamaica.