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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 Schedules Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Croton megalocarpus Trade Name Musine Family Name Euphorbiaceae Common Names Chepkeleliet, Lemaruguet, Masineitel, Mkigara, Mlalai, Muhande, Mukinduri, Musine, Muthuru, Ngeul, Nkulumire, Ol margait, Ol-mergoit, Ot Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Building construction, Building materials, Construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Rare Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview Occurs in tropical East Africa, with an altitudinal range of 4,000 to 6,700 ft; used as a shade tree in coffee plantations. The species covers a wide range of habitats, including montane semi-evergreen forest and semitropical rainforest. It is a dominant upper storey tree in some forested areas, widespread from Kakamega, to Nyeri, Samburu, Taita. It grows between 1200-2450 m, mean annual temperature of 11-26 deg. C and mean annual rainfall of 800-1900 mm. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange White to cream Pale brown Greenish to greyish Dark brown Yellowish tan Bark inclusions are common Sapwood Color White Yellow Same as heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Closed Even Straight Texture Fine Medium Medium Coarse Fine to medium Medium to coarse Natural Durability Very durable Perishable Non durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack by fungi Susceptible to attack by fungi and termites Susceptible to termite attack Odor May have a slightly disagreeable smell when green Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Respiratory effects Kiln Schedules UK=C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3 T3-C2 (4/4); T3-C1(8/4) US Schedule C (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Moderate end spitting Moderate twist/warp Moderate surface checking Drying defects commonly associated with the species are warping and checking Ease of Drying Thick Stock Requires Care Reconditioning Treatement Little degrade Difficult Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Boles that are often 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 m) in length Comments Irritating Properties Sawdust from machining operations is reported to cause nose and throat irritation in some individuals Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Easy to saw Gluing Easy to glue Very good properties Movement in Service Large Stability is rated as poor Expect large movement Expect small movememt Nailing Easy to nail Difficult to nail Planing Planes well, to a good finish Difficult to plane Planed surfaces are usually clean and smooth Resistance to Impregnation Heartwood is permeable Permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Difficult to machine Easy to machine Turning Difficult to turn Polishing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Good results Staining Stains well Strength Properties Hardness (side grain) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small The bending strength of air-dried wood of the species is similar to that of Teak, which is considered to be strong. Compression strength parallel to grain in the air-dry condition is high. Teak, White oak, and Hard maple have high crushing strength. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and marring. The weight is high. The wood has high density. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10500 14431 psi Density 44 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1521 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 5932 7768 psi Specific Gravity 0.53 Weight 43 34 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 738 1014 kg/cm2 Density 705 kg/m3 Hardness 689 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 417 546 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.53 Weight 689 544 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa. Battiscombe, E.,1926,A Descriptive Catalogue of some of the Common Trees and Woody Plants of,Kenya Colony,Crown Agents for the Colonies London Bois, P.J.,1966,The Strength Properties of Tanzania Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tech. Note, No.35 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 Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Bryce, J.M.,1967,Commercial Timbers of Tanzania,Tanzanian Forestry Division Util. Sec. Moshi Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1954,Hardwoods for Industrial Flooring,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet, No.48 Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38 France - C.T.F.T./C.T.B.,1982,Guide pour le Choix des Essences Deroulables-pour la fabrication du,contreplaque,C.T.F.T./C.T.B. France Jane, F.W.,1954,The Structure of World Timbers - 21 Muganga Musine Pilon and Hura,Timber Technology,62(2175, pp15-17 Normand, D., Paquis, J.,1976,Manuel D'Identification des Bois Commerciaux. Tome 2. Afrique,Guineo-Congolaise,CTFT Patterson, D.N.,1963,The strength of Kenya timbers, their derivation and application,Kenya Forestry Department Research Bulletin,No.23 Tack, C.H.,1969,Uganda Timbers,Govt. Printer Uganda 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 Tanzania Forest Department,1966,Flooring Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi - Timbers of Tanganyika Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Croton megalocarpus (Musine,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi - Timbers of Tanganyika Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Kiln Drying Schedules for Tanzania Timbers Technical Note no.38,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Uganda Forest Department,1954,Flooring Timbers,Uganda Forest Department Timber Leaflet,No.17 Uganda Forest Department,1954,The Mechanical Properties of some Ugandan Timbers,Uganda Forest Department Timber Leaflet,No.1 White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London Wimbush, S.H.,1950,Catalogue of Kenya Timbers,Govt. Printer Nairobi Kenya Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13