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Species

Major species: A mono-specific timber.

General Characteristics

Sapwood: Sharply defined; wood white or pale straw colour. Heartwood: Golden brown to reddish brown with darker coloured streaks; occasionally red or blood red. Texture: Moderately coarse and uneven due to ring porous structure; grain interlocked and sometimes slightly wavy. Weight (Air-dry): Wood moderately hard to moderately heavy, ranging from 35-42 lb/cu.ft. with an average of 39 lb/cu ft.

Structure

Growth rings present, the wood is ring-porous; the growth rings are demarcated by the layers of pore-rings of vessels as well as layers of darker-coloured fibres near the end of each ring. Vessels variable in size due to the ring porous arrangement; those in the pores-rings are large to very large and the others vary from medium size to small; few in the early wood and very few in the late wood; solitary and radial groups of 2-4, with a tendency to tangential arrangement; tyloses occasionally present, deposits if present, glassy. Wood Parenchyma abundant, visible to the naked eye, predominantly in concentric, confluent layers which are boteh apotracheal and paratracheal. Rays very fine and storeyed. Ripple marks present, very fine and faint. Intercellular canals absent.

Other Features

Lather test negative .

Uses

This timber is one of the rare ring-porous timbers found in this country and as such is highly prized as a cabinet wood. The timber is suitable for all forms of decoratives work, interior finishing, high class furniture and cabinets, sliced veneers and fancy articles.