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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. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Strombosia pustulata Trade Name Afina Family Name Olacaceae Common Names Affina, Afina, Atako, Efenka, Flanga, Fognian, Itako, Mbeza, Munyankono, Myole polie, Omenam, Otingbo, Patabua, Pue, Ubelu, Wha-la-koh, Zen nieh, Zen-nieh Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Bridge construction, Broom handles, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Carvings, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Excelsior, Factory construction, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Handles, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Ladders, Mine timbers, Pile-driver cushions, Piling, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Shade rollers, Shafts/Handles, Shipbuilding, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Utility poles, Vehicle parts Environmental Profile Very little or no threat to its survival in the near future Unknown status in natural growth range due to inadequate inofrmation Generally secure within its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center The population of this species is relatively secure within its growth range in many areas including Cameroon, with very little threat to its survival in the immediate future. Its status in Nigeria is listed as unknown because of inadequate information Distribution Overview The genus Strombosia occurs throughout the tropical regions of the Old World. The growth range of S. pustulata in Africa extends from Senegal to Zaire, and is located in the rain forests. Heartwood Color Purple Brown Red Black Purple Pale brown Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange White to cream Purplish streaks Sapwood Color White Yellow Well defined White to yellow Yellow Paler than heartwood Grain Straight Even Straight Moderately straight to interlocked Texture Fine Medium Fine Luster Medium High Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Very durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Durable Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Well suited for exterior applications Weathering properties are excellent Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Splitting Checking Moderate end spitting Moderate surface checking Distortion (twist/warp) is likely Distortion and other forms of degrade are very common during air-drying. Losses from such degrade are high. Ease of Drying Slowly Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bark width is 5-10 mm Bark width is 0-5 mm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect High to severe Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Fairly easy with ordinary tools Carving Good results Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Mortising Mortises fairly cleanly with machine tools Moulding Moulding is fairly easy Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planing Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood is permeable Treatable with creosote after air-seasoning for 4-6 weeks Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Easy to machine Fairly good response to preservative treatment Routing & Recessing Routing characteristics are generally good Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results The sanding finish is generally good Screwing Pre-boring recommended Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly good response to preservative treatment Veneering Qualities Difficult to veneer Suitable for slicing Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Satisfactory results Staining Poor to Very Poor Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = large Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Hardness (side grain) = hard Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 14060 21312 psi Density 57 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2628 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6670 10224 psi Shearing Strength 2381 psi Stiffness 2240 2584 1000 psi Weight 56 45 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 988 1498 kg/cm2 Density 913 kg/m3 Hardness 1192 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 468 718 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 167 kg/cm2 Stiffness 157 181 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 897 721 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % References Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research Cooper, G.P., Record, S.J.,1931,The Evergreen Forests of Liberia,Yale School Forestry Bulletin,31,pp1-153 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1954,Hardwoods for Industrial Flooring,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet, No.48 Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment Jay, B.A.,1968,Timbers of West Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Keay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan Kennedy, J.D.,1936,Forest Flora of Southern Nigeria,Government Printer Lagos Kinloch, D., Miller, W.A.,1949,Gold Coast Timbers,Govt. Printer Gold Coast Pieters, A.,1977,Essences Forestieres du Zaire,R.U.G. Gent Belguim Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T Savill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra Leone Taylor, C.J.,1960,Synecology and Silviculture in Ghana,University College of Ghana Thomas Nelson and Sons Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA]