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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Certified Source
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
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resin Content
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Silica Content
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Weathering

Scientific Name
Autranella congolensis

Trade Name
Mukulungu

Family Name
Sapotaceae

Synonyms
Mimusops letestui


Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Adjazok, Angulu, Anzala, Autracon, Banga, Bonyanga, Bouanga, Bwanga, Elang, Elangzok, Elanzok, Fino, Kabulungu, Kolo, Kondofino, Kungulu, M'fua, Mafamuti, Mbanga, Mtua, Mubelenge, Muku, Mukulumbu, Mukulungu, Mukungulu, Mumbelenge, Ntsha, Ovanga, Uku, Yoli

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Nigeria, South Africa, Zaire

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Bridge construction, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chemical containers, Construction, Crossties, Decks, Decorative veneer, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Piling, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wharf construction

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure
Inadequate information for some areas
Abundant


Distribution Overview
Widely distributed throughout the dense equatorial forests of Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Nigeria and Zaire. It is rather rare.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Purple
Yellow
Black
Reddish brown
Reddish-Brown, reddish-orange, or deep wine red, often with dark brown streaks
Purple
Brown, red, dark reddish brown with nearly black stripes after prolonged exposure


Sapwood Color
Green/Grey
Paler than heartwood
Not always clearly demarcated from heartwood
Grey
Different than heartwood


Grain
Straight
Interlocked
Even
Figure
Distinct (figure)

Straight
Interlocked
Interlocked slightly to moderately
Distinct figure


Texture
Fine
Medium
Fine
Fine to medium


Luster
Medium
Lustrous
Sometimes lustrous but not always


Natural Growth Defects
High growth stresses may cause logs to split upon felling
Center of large logs is usually defective


Natural Durability
Very durable
Durable
Resistant to marine borers
Resistant to termites
Susceptible to insect attack
Moderately durable
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Non-resistant to termites
Resistant to powder post beetles
Very durable
Durable
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from marine borers
Very resistant to decay
Susceptible to termite attack
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Resistant to marine borer attack
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack
Moderately resistant to marine borer attack
Moderately durable
High natural tolerance to the adverse effects of the weather


Weathering
Excellent


Odor
No specific smell or taste


Silica Content
Siliceous
Likely to have significant impact on machining
Contains silica


Resin Content
Staining materials are absent
Contains resin


Toxicity
Some toxic effects
Unspecified toxicity
Respiratory effects
Sawdust can cause throat irritation in some individuals
Sawdust can cause nose irritation in some individuals

Working areas should be adequately ventilated to remove irritating dust

Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed


Drying Defects
Splitting
Checking
Distortion
Severe end splitting
Serious checking and distortion may occur during drying


Ease of Drying
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Medium to High Shrinkage
Slowly
Difficult
Should be quartersawn to minimize degrade
Dries slowly and may have large shrinkage


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries slowly


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is not buttressed
Bole/stem form is cylindrical
Bole/stem form is buttressed
Bole/stem form is straight


Tree Size
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Tree height is 30-40 m
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Bole length is 20-30 m
Bole length is 30-40 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Tree height is 50-60 m
Trunk diameter is 300-350 cm


It often develops long, cylindrical and well-formed boles

Product Sources
Timber production is rated as fairly important and exportation is low but regular

Certified Source
Certified Source


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory

Good resistance to acids in dilute concentrations

Sometimes confused with African Species, Moabi (Baillonella toxisperma) and Makore (Tieghemella heckelii)

Blunting Effect
Moderate
High to severe
Blunting effect on machining is moderate
Dulling effect on cutters can be rapid and severe
Blunting effect on machining is severe
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe


Boring
Fair to good results
Fairly easy to very easy


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Teeth tend to blunt rapidly
Fairly easy to saw


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Carefully Controlled Conditions
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Gluing is often difficult
Easy to glue
Requires carefully controlled conditions


Mortising
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to mortise
Difficult to mortise


Moulding
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to mould
Difficult to mould


Movement in Service
Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Large
Very poor dimensional stability
Small
Material with interlocked grain moves considerably after manufacture


Nailing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Difficult to nail
Variable nailing properties, but they are generally difficult
Easy to nail


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Very Good to Excellent Results
Easy to plane
Planes well, to a good finish
Fairly easy to work in most machining operations to produce a smooth finish
Dulls cutting edges rapidly due to silica content
Difficult to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is extremely resistant
Very difficult to treat with preservatives
Heartwood is moderately resistant


Resistance to Splitting
Poor


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Easy to machine
Difficult to machine


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Screwing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Easy to screw


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Satisfactory results
Fairly good polishing characteristics


Strength Properties
Bending strength (MOR) = high
Max. crushing strength = high
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Hardness (side grain) = hard
Shrinkage, Radial = large
Max. crushing strength = very high
Shrinkage, Tangential = large
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very high
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft
Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft
Bending strength (MOR) = very high
Very dense
Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate
Shrinkage, Volumetric = large
Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high
Hardness (side grain) = very hard
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Bending strength (MOR) = medium

The species is considerably stronger than White oak or Teak

Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength1431921705psi
Density59lbs/ft3
Hardness2311lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength747011316psi
Shearing Strength1560psi
Stiffness195023041000 psi
Specific Gravity0.68
Weight5757lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage8%
Volumetric Shrinkage13%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength10061526kg/cm2
Density945kg/m3
Hardness1048kg
Maximum Crushing Strength525795kg/cm2
Shearing Strength109kg/cm2
Stiffness1371611000 kg/cm2
Specific Gravity0.68
Weight913913kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage8%

References
Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48

Banks, C.H.,1954,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with Particular Reference to those,grown in the Union of South Africa,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No. 24 pp.44-65,[South,African Forestry Journal]

Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1949,Olon (Fagara heitzii and Fagara brieyi,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.10,pp175-8

Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1954,Mukulungu (Autranella congolensis,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,36,pp25-28

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

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World No.1 Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

Cividini, R.,1967,Studio delle Caratteristiche dei Legni per Pavimenti e Loro Valutazione,Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Rome Contr.Sc-Pract Mig.Cons ed Ut.del,Legno 8(13)

Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department

Fortin, Y., Poliquin, J.,1976,Natural Durability and Preservation of 100 Tropical African Woods,International Development Research Centre, Canada

Fouarge, J.,1950,Appropriation de Bois Congolais aux Besoins de la Metropole,I.N.E.A.C. Belgium Serie Technique,No.38

Fouarge, J.,1953,Bois du Congo,I.N.E.A.C.

Fouarge, J.,1970,Essais Physiques,Mecaniques et de Durabilite de Bois de la Republique,Democratique du Congo,I.N.E.A.C. Belgium Serie Technique,No.76

Fougerousse, M., Deschamps, P.,1968,Essais de Resistance de quelques Bois Tropicaux aux Xylophages Marins dans,la,Port de la Pallice,C.T.F.T. Note Technique,No.7

France - C.T.F.T.,Promotion of Zaire Timbers. New Series (Leaflets,C.T.F.T.

Hughes, J.F.,1971,The Principal Timber Trees of Cameroon,Unpublished data

ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. Association Internationale Technique des Bois Tropicaux, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, 8 Rue du Colonel Moll, 75017 Paris

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.

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

Organisation for European Economic Co-operation,1951,African Tropical Timber (Nomenclature, Description,OEEC

Pieters, A.,1977,Essences Forestieres du Zaire,R.U.G. Gent Belguim

Sallenave, P.,1964,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Premier Supplement,C.T.F.T. Publ.,no.23

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

Wagenfuhr, H.,1972,Mukulungu,Holztechnologie,11(2, pp135-6

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.

Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13









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