Category :    Light Hardwoods

Species

General Characteristics

Sap wood lighter-coloured and distinct (except Coclostcgia grifftthii in which ii is not differentiated); colourofheartwood pink-brown, red-brown ordecp red-brown except C. grifftthii which is orange-brown ororangc-rcd; planed surface without lustre; without any figure; texture coarse and uneven; grain only slightly interlocked; moderately hard to cut across grain; air dry density ranging from 451) to 8"I5 kg/m3 (28 to 51 lb/ft3) and averaging 688 kg/m3 (43 lb/ft3); not durable ifcxposcd to lhcweaiheror in contact with the ground.

Structure

Growth rings absent. Vessels with simple perforation; moderately large or very large; very few or few in number, a few solitary, majority in radial pairs or multiples of 3 to 8 or rarely more and a few clusters; distributed without any arrangement; tyloses absent; gum-like deposits common; vessel lines very conspicuous on longitudinal surface as coarse scratches.Wood parenchyma of the piratracheal type not visible with a hand lens; apotrachcal parenchyma as diffuse strands sr occasionally in closely spaced, short tangential lines extending from ray to ray ami funning a scalariform pattern.Rays of two distinct sizes; the liner rays not visible to the naked eye but the broader medium-sized rays distinct; conspicuous on a radial surface. Ripple marks present but not always clearly visible. Intercellular canals of the traumatic type filled with gummy substance rarely present. (Horizontal canals have been observed in one specimen of Coctosiegia grifftthii but diis appears to be an exception).

Other Features

Burning splinter test : Splinter bums to ash. Froth test: Negative.

Uses

The timber is suitable for light construction indoors, door and window frames, flooring, planking, veneer and plywood, wooden sandals and low grade coffins.