Category :    Heavy Hardwoods

Species

General Characteristics

Sapwood distinct; colour of heartwood golden-brown, red-brown or dark red-brown, weathering to darker shades; planed surface generally very lustrous; generaUy with stripe figure on radial surface and light-coloured zig-zag markings on tangential surface; texture ranging from moderately fine to moderately coarse and even; grain wavy and interlocked; very hard and horny to cut across grain; air dry density ranging from 755 to 1250 kg/m³ (47 to 78 lb/ft³); moderately durable if exposed to severe conditions.

Structure

Growth rings absent.
Vessels with simple perforation; medium-sized to moderately large; few or rarely moderately few; mostly solitary with a few in radial groups of 2 to 4; evenly scattered without any clear arrangement: usually without tyloses; yellow, white or coloured de¬posits common.
Wood parenchyma abundant; difficult to determine whether apotracheal or paratracheal; in regularly and closely spaced concentric bands. Rays very fine to moderately fine; not visible to naked eye: not prominent on radial surface.
Ripple marks characteristics and very distinct.
Intercellular canals absent.

Other Features

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

Uses