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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 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 Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Cylicodiscus gabunensis Trade Name Okan Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Cyrtoxiphus staudtii, Erythrophleum gabunense, Erythrophleum l Common Names Adada, Adadua, Adoum, Adum, African greenheart, Aja-igi, Anyan, Bokoka, Boueman, Bouemon, Denya, Djom, Doum, Edoum, Edum, Ekam, Emang, Eyee, Imbeli-deli, Inbeli-deli, Kendum, Lisan, Mbeli-deli, Mobonran, Muduma, Nkassa, Ode owese, Odekowese, Odenya, Okain, Okan, Olisan, Olosan, Osung, Owese, Usi, Uzhi Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: framing, Bridge construction, Carvings, Charcoal, Crossties, Decks, Dockwork, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Marine construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Piling, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wharf construction Environmental Profile Secure within its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview Common in the rain forests of Sierra Leone to the Cameroons and Gabon. Heartwood Color Red Yellow Brown Green/grey Pink Orange Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Greenish to greyish Brown Reddish brown Pale brown Dark brown Dark brown Sapwood Color Pink/Red Clearly differentiated from the heartwood White to yellow Is 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) wide. Grain Interlocked Figure Closed Stripe (figure) Distinct (figure) Wavy Irregular Interlocked Striped figure Distinct figure Wavy Moderately to severely interlocked Irregular Grain is very irregular and closely interlocked, producing an attractive stripe or roey figure on quartered surfaces. Texture Medium Fine Coarse Coarse Medium to coarse Medium Has a waxy appearance and feel Luster Lustrous Pronounced Natural Growth Defects Yellowish deposits in vessels Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Durable Perishable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to termites Non-durable Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from marine borers Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Felled logs are not resistant to attack by Pinworm (ambrosia beetle) Durable The heartwood has high natural resistance to attack by decay fungi and termites. Sapwood is not durable and is readily attacked by powder-post beetle. The wood is reported to resist attack by marine-borers. The timber has excellent weathering qualities, and has high resistance to wear. Although the wood is considered to be highly suitable for flooring, it is very difficult to machine Odor May have a slightly disagreeable smell when green Seasoned wood has no discernible odor or taste Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Respiratory effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2 Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rather slow T3-C2 (4/4); T2-C1 (8/4) US Schedule B (4/4) United Kingdom Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Moderate surface checking Moderate end spitting Slight surface checking Severe surface checking Severe end splitting No end splitting Moderate twist/warp End splitting Defects in the form of surface warping is slight Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Dries slowly Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Very slow (>28 days for boards < 32 mm, to >84 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 0-10 m Product Sources Exporting countries are reported to include Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Cameroons. Substitutes Timber hard and heavy Lignum-Vitae substitute Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Strength properties are mid-way between those of European beech (Fagus ) and Greenheart (Ocotea ) Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Easy Fair results Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Difficult to saw Responds satisfactorily to narrow bandsawing Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to glue Easy to glue Very good properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to mortise Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to mould Interlocked grain produces distinct ribbon figure Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to nail Pre-boring recommended Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to plane Planes well, to a good finish Interlocked grain produces distinct ribbon figure Interlocked grain tends to tear in planing and the wood works with difficulty. A reduced cutting angle of 10 degrees is suggested for planing quarter-sawn material. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is very resistant Sapwood is resistant Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Difficult to machine Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Routing yields good results Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good sanding finish Screwing Possible if prebored Difficult to screw Turning Easy to turn Good results Steam Bending Poor Buckling and fiber rupturing are very common Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Grain filling required for satisfactory results Staining Finish is generally satisfactory Poor results Strength Properties < Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Max. crushing strength = very high Shearing strength (paralell to grain) = very high Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu.ft. Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Bending strength (MOR) = very high Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = large Shrinkage, Radial = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load = low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium