Not bocce - which are typically small and thrown in a high arc. These are bigger, and internally weighted so they roll in a curved path.
Ian, I believe that all old wooden Lawn and Crown bowls are made from Lignum. Now they mostly are made from composite materials. The ones that I was given are all Lignum.
Obviously Lawn bowls is not a game played in America, though is immensely popular in UK. As @duncsuss said above they were made with a bias so they travel in a curve. It is my understanding that modern bowls are being made without the bias and from a composite, resulting in a lot of the old wooden bowls being of little value. I have picked 8 Lignum bowls up at an auction for £8.