Randy called his supplier and discovered that the name is not Ida, it’s Ipe. The atrocious handwriting on our invoice was where this mistake came from! I found the information below on the internet. It is a lovely wood. Randy says he has both flat-sawn and quarter sawn. I think the picture I have is the flat sawn. It’s heavy and feels very smooth. All our wood comes from plantation grown trees.
Sorry about the confusion.
The Tree: Ipe is a large canopy tree, growing to a height of 120 feet in the natural rainforest, with trunk diameter up to 3 feet and a clear bole of 60 feet. Some specimens grow to 150 feet with a 6 foot diameter trunk.
The Wood: Ipe heartwood is light to dark olive brown, often with attractive lighter or darker striping and striking contrasts with the lighter color sapwood. It has a fine texture, medium luster, and a somewhat oily appearance. Ipe is very hard (two to three times as hard as oak), very strong and very heavy. It weighs approximately 70 pounds per cubic foot and sinks in water. Ipe is rated as extremely durable.
Uses: Ipe is prized for quality furniture and decorative veneers, and because of its strength and durability, is used in turnery, industrial flooring, and textile mill items.