Phil - Poplar indeed. Not my first choice, but still qualifies as a hardwood, is lightweight and economical. Poplar also is pretty friendly for staining.
As for color, I call it walnut. That process also is done with a swifter, production style of finish, which goes like this:

1 Spray on moderate coat of Dark Mission Brown trans-tint dye stain = almost immediate dry time, zero oils to interfere with topcoat adhesion
2 Spray on moderate coat of thinned CAB acrylic lacquer, dyed with walnut color trans-tint. Again, dry in no time
3 Spray on blend of Mohawk knock-down glaze to darken pores, making a more convincing walnut look. Rub back lightly with white nylon pads
4 Spray on 2 coats clear CAB acrylic

Looks like quite a list, but all processes are pretty swift, no waiting between coats. I'll provide images of process in the next day or two.