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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
Luster
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Dysoxylum malabaricum

Trade Name
Indian white cedar

Family Name
Meliaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Bili devdari, Bombay white cedar, Devagarige, Indian white cedar, Porapa, Vella agil, Velley agil

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
India

Common Uses
Building construction, Building materials, Casks, Construction, Cooperages, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Interior construction, Joinery, Light construction, Rough construction

Environmental Profile
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
Grows in the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, North Kanara, Coorg, Anamalais, and Travancore regions in India.

Heartwood Color
Yellow
Brown
Orange
Green/grey
White
Red


Initially orange-red or brick-red, but darkens upon exposure, losing the red shades

Sapwood Color
Red
Brown
Yellow
White
Clearly differentiated from the heartwood
Bright yellow

Width is about 1 to 4 inches (2.5 to 10 cm)

Grain
Closed
Figure
Interlocked
Irregular
Wavy

Wavy
Irregular
Interlocked


Texture
Coarse
Medium
Fine
Slightly coarse
Fine
Even textured


Luster
Medium
Low
Low


Natural Durability
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-durable
Perishable
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Resistant to powder post beetles
Non-resistant to marine borers
Non-resistant to termites


Odor
Typically scented
No characteristic taste


Drying Defects
Distortion
Checking


Ease of Drying
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Fairly Easy
Rapidly


The timber is somewhat refractory, and requires seasoning under carefully controlled conditions to minimize degrade.

Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries quickly


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Bark width is 20-25 mm
Bark width is 25-30 mm
Bole length is 10-20 m
Bole length is 20-30 m
Bark width is 10-15 mm
Tree height is 30-40 m
Bark width is 15-20 mm


Comments
The wood is described as moderately hard to hard and strong, with stiffness strength about equal to that of Burma teak (Tectona granids ). Maximum crushing strength is rated as about 19 percent below that of teak. It is used locally for purposes for which good quality, but not especially attractive, timber is required

Blunting Effect
Little


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Moderate to saw
Easy to saw


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Very Good to Excellent Results
Planes to a smooth surface
Good planing properties


Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable heartwood
Permeable sapwood


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


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Veneering Qualities
Suitable for peeling
Veneers easily
Veneers moderately easy
Difficult to veneer


Polishing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Very good results


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength11745psi
Maximum Crushing Strength6434psi
Stiffness17551000 psi
Specific Gravity0.540.62
Weight5043lbs/ft3
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength825kg/cm2
Maximum Crushing Strength452kg/cm2
Stiffness1231000 kg/cm2
Specific Gravity0.540.62

References
Desch, H. E. 1954. Manual of Malayan Timbers - Volume II. Malayan Forest Records, No. 15. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore.

Kloot, N. H. and E. Bolza. 1961. Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Technological Paper No. 12. Division of Forest Products, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia.

Troup, R.S. 1909. Indian Woods and Their Uses. The Indian Forest Memoirs, Economic Products Series, Volume 1, No. 1. Superintendent, Government Printing, Calcutta, India.









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