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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. Boring Carving 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 Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Drypetes gossweileri Trade Name Akot Family Name Euphorbiaceae Common Names Akot, Etekele, Okhuaba, Olelong, Tchissakata, Yungu Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Nigeria, Zaire Common Uses Balusters, Bedroom suites, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Moldings, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Sub-flooring Environmental Profile Generally secure within its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview High forests of West and Central Africa, from Nigeria through Angola to Zaire. Heartwood Color Red Pink Pale yellow Occasional brown streaks Sapwood Color White Pink Yellow Not clearly differentiated from the heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Even Straight Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Fine Even textured Luster Medium Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Perishable Very little natural resistance Susceptible to attack by fungi Wood has very little or negligible natural resistance to attack by decay fungi and other wood destroying organisms Odor Pungent odor when tree is bruised or cut Bark has very strong peppery smell Drying Defects Distortion Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Dries slowly Difficult Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m The tree is reported to reach a height of about 115 feet (35 m) at maturity and develops straight, slightly fluted but unbuttressed boles, with merchantable lengths of up to 90 feet (27 m) long Boring Good (75+ pieces out of 100 will yield good to excellent results) Carving Very good results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Easy to saw The wood has low resistance to sawing and saws to a smooth finish Gluing Glues well Mortising Good mortising properties Moulding Very good moulding properties Planing Planing yields smooth surfaces Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Good in both routing and recessing. Sanding Easy to sand Turning Fair to Good Results Yields fairly smooth surfaces Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Suitable for peeling No drying degrade Painting Good results Polishing Polishes easily Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 16464 psi Maximum Crushing Strength 8977 psi Stiffness 1779 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.48 0.63 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1157 kg/cm2 Maximum Crushing Strength 631 kg/cm2 Stiffness 125 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.48 0.63 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % 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 Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford.