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. Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Grain Heartwood Color Luster Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Caesalpinia sappan Trade Name Bakam Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Bakam, Bakamu, Bakapu, Bokmo, Chappangam, Hapang, Parthangi, Patang, Patanga, Pattang, Pattangi, Patunga, Sapang, Sappan, Sappan tree, Sepang, Sibukau, Sikalig, Sunthe, Teinnyet, The sappan-wood Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Brunei, Burma, India, Malaysia, Philippines Common Uses Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chemical derivatives, Furniture, Musical instruments: strings, Poles, Sporting Goods, Walking sticks Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Orange Pink Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Red Sapwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Paler than heartwood Grain Straight Closed Even Wavy Figure Weak (figure) Straight Weak figure Wavy Texture Coarse Fine Fine to medium Luster High Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Perishable Non-resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Durable Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Moderate twist/warp Moderate surface checking Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Planing Fair to Good Results Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Permeable heartwood Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Moderate working qualities Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dryweight ) = 67-75 lbs cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 54 lbs/ft3 Weight 53 52 lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Density 865 kg/m3 References Bourdillon, T.F.,1908,The Forest Trees of Travancore,Travancore Government Press Browne, F.G.,1955,Forest Trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their Products.,Government Printing Office, Kuching, Sarawak Desch, H.E.,1954,Manual of Malayan Timbers (2 vols,Malayan Forest Records,no.15 Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London Ramesh, Rao K., Purkayastha, S.K.,1972,Indian Woods - Their Identification Properties and Uses,Dehra Dun India,Vol. 3 Reyes, L.J.,1938,Philippine Woods,Commonwealth of the Philippines Department of Agriculture and Commerce,Technical Bulletin,No.7 Tewari, M.C., Jain, J.C.,1980,Utilization of Secondary Species,Journal of the National Building Organization 25(2) pp1-6 Whitmore, T.C. (Ed.,1972,Tree Flora of Malaya A Manual for Foresters Volume 1,Forest Department Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Malaysia