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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Scientific Name Silica Content Texture Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Santiria laevigata Trade Name Kerantai Family Name Common Names Kerantai Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Malaysia Common Uses Construction Environmental Profile Unknown because of lack of information Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview The species occurs in Malaysia. Heartwood Color Brown Purple Red Pink Very distinct from the sapwood Reddish brown Sapwood is about 2 inches (5 cm) wide Grain Figure Birds-eye (figure) Other (figure) Interlocked Weak (figure) Interlocked slightly to moderately Texture Medium Fine Close Luster Medium Low Natural Durability Durable Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Logs are susceptible to blue stain fungi attack if they are not converted soon after felling, and dried promptly Silica Content Contains high levels of silica (> 0.5% of dry weight) Silica levels of 0.62 to 2.14 percent of ovendry weight have been recorded. A silica level of 0.05% is generally considered to be high enough to affect some wood properties. Drying Defects Splitting Checking Slight tendency of sapwood to stain Slight cupping Slight bowing End-Splitting is slight and can be prevented by end-coating Ease of Drying Slowly Rapidly Shrinkage is relatively low Dries slowly with little degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Comments Kerantai timbers are reported to have very poor machining characteristics because of excessively high silica content. Cutting edges of saws and other tools are dulled very severely and rapidly, and logs are reported to saw with extreme difficulty. Although the species is relatively abundant in some areas within its range, it is of little economic importance probably because it is very difficult to machine. Planed surfaces are smooth but non-lustrous, and worked surfaces tend to be rather plain in appearance, except for a slight ribbon figure Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Moderate to saw Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Straight Wavy Figure Closed Even Growth rings (figure) Fiddleback (figure) Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood absorbs preservatives readily Heartwood is very difficult to treat Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Polishing Fair to Good Results Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Crushing Strength 1875 2911. psi Impact Strength 27 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4895 7845. psi Specific Gravity 0.47 Item Green Dry Metric Crushing Strength 131 204. kg/cm2 Impact Strength 68 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 344 551. kg/cm2 References Desch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers - Volume I. Malayan Forest Records, No. 15. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. Desch, H. E. 1957. Manual of Malayan Timbers. Malayan Forest Records, 28(30):315-318. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. Maeglin, R., C.K. Baah, G. Troemmer, J.D. Danielson, and S.P. Loehnertz. 1989. Pre-project Report - Sawing of Difficult Species. Prepared for International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing: Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC, Plants Program, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.