Search for

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 Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Antrocaryon micraster Trade Name Onzabili Family Name Anacardiaceae Common Names Akoua, Angonga, Anguekong, Antrocaryon, Aprokuma, Bougongi, Ha okete, Ha-okete, Kuminimba, Mongongo, Mugongo, Mumbu, Ngongo, Onzabili, Tshikosokoso, Tshimanya, Tshimumbu, Tshinsono, Tshitoke Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zaire Common Uses Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Particleboard, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Structural plywood, Tables , Utility furniture, Utility plywood, Veneer: decorative, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure No threat in the near future Generally secure within its natural habitat Distribution Overview Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. This species is found in lowland tropical rainforest. Heartwood Color Red Pink White Brown Green/grey Pale red to pink Greenish to greyish White to cream Pinkish white Pale brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Green/Grey White to yellow Same as heartwood Not distinct from heartwood Grayish white Grain Straight Interlocked Even Figure Other (figure) Straight Interlocked Other figure Interlocked slightly to moderately Texture Medium Fine Coarse Medium Fine to medium Medium-Textured Coarse Luster Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-durable Perishable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Perishable Very little natural resistance to decay in ground contact Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to blue stain attack Susceptible to attack by the powder-post beetle Susceptible to attack by insects Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Checking Distortion Slight tendency to distort and check Rather large shrinkage Ease of Drying Medium to High Shrinkage Fairly Easy Dries at a medium rate and fairly easily Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Product Sources Apart from timber, the tree is of value primarily to the natives of Indo-Malaya as a source of one of the ingredients for their dart poison, and for bark cloth. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Moderate Slight to moderate blunting effect on cutters Boring Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Low resistance to sawing Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Good gluing properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Holds nails well Nails without pre-boring Good nail holding properties Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to plane Works well with both hand and machine tools in most machining operations Planes well but its fibrous nature may cause some tearing occasionally Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Moderately permeable to preservative treatment Heartwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Easy to screw Screwing yields good results Good screwing properties Good screw holding properties Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Fair to Good Results Surface Preparation Satisfactory results Requires filing and finishing for best results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Max. crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Hardness (side grain) = very soft Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Volumetric = small Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Max. crushing strength = low High in density Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high It is far stronger, for example, than Hard maple, White oak, or Teak. Strength in compression parallel to grain is in the high range. Other species in this range include Teak, White oak, and Hard maple Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10493 18222 psi Density 37 lbs/ft3 Hardness 319 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 3560 6720 psi Shearing Strength 1221 psi Stiffness 1245 1472 1000 psi Weight 38 31 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 12 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 737 1281 kg/cm2 Density 592 kg/m3 Hardness 144 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 250 472 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 85 kg/cm2 Stiffness 87 103 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 608 496 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % 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 Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Fouarge, J., Gerard, G.,1964,Bois du Mayumbe,I.N.E.A.C. Belguim Fouarge, J.,1950,Appropriation de Bois Congolais aux Besoins de la Metropole,I.N.E.A.C. Belgium Serie Technique,No.38 France - C.T.F.T.,Resultats des observations et des essais effectives au C.T.F.T. sur,Onzabili - Antrocanyon klaineanum et Antrocanyon micraster,C.T.F.T. Information Technique No.129 Ghana - Timber Marketing Board,1969,Ghana Hardwoods,Timber Marketing Board ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Kryn, J.M., Forbes, E.W.,1959,The Woods of Liberia,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture,Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,,Report No. 2159 Lebacq, L., Dechamps, R.,1967,Contribution a un Inventaire de Forets du Nord-kasai,Musee Royal de L'Afrique Centrale Belgium Annals Series 8 No.5 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 Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7 WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center-Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.