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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 Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Turning Scientific Name Funtumia africana Trade Name Ako ire Family Name Apocynaceae Common Names Adiakoua adrakoi, Afromonondou, Ako ire, Ako-ire, Anyan, Bandapare, Bassa-bassa, Bastard rubber tree, Bastard wild rubber, Bobo, Boboi, Bole, Bu-ay-boh, Buboi, Bunkankon, Bush rubber, Diabudimbu, Diladila, Dimbu n'dimbu, False rubber tree, Fulmunto-okai, Funtum, Gboboi, Ire, Ka-wathia, Kpoli, Kpomi, Mama, Mba miri, Mubudi, Munkenke, Munyamagozi, Munyamatunga, Musanda, Mutalabudimbu, Mutoke, Mutondo, Mutundi, Mutundo, Nkago, Nkame, Nkwame, Okae, Osese, Oseseo, Ouala, Pe, Pe-sain, Pesin, Po, Pono, Poran, Pouo, Pri, Sese, Seseo, Sooue, Tendo, Tive, Usumba, Wala, Wangolo, Watia, Wild rubber tree Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire Common Uses Balusters, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Casks, Chemical derivatives, Construction, Core Stock, Drawer sides, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matches, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Particleboard, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Stairworks, Stringers, Trimming, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wainscotting Environmental Profile Rare in parts of its natural range (population is at risk) Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Species is secure in its natural range in Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast and Kenya. Classified officially as rare in Ghana and vulnerable in Uganda. Currently listed as unknown due to inadequate information in Angola, Benin, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mozambique, Sao Tome, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Togo Heartwood Color Brown Purple Red White to cream Yellow to golden-yellow to orange The wood is yellow-white in color, with fine stripes Sapwood Color White Yellow Same as heartwood White to yellow The sapwood is not indistinguishable from the heartwood. Grain Straight Even Straight Texture Coarse Fine Medium Uniform Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Non durable Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Perishable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to marine borer attack Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Susceptible to attack by marine borers and termites Susceptible to attack by fungi Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) often present in the standing tree Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Moderately durable It is only rarely attacked by Lyctus. Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects The timber seasons well, though logs usually require early spraying since they are easily attacked by sap-stain fungi Ease of Drying Slowly Good seasoning properties Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is straight Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good The wood is described as very fissile, soft, and rather brittle. Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Good (75+ pieces out of 100 will yield good to excellent results) Carving Easy to carve Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Easy to saw Gluing Easy to glue Glues well Mortising Good mortising properties Moulding Good moulding properties Movement in Service Stable Nailing Easy to nail Holds nails well Planing Easy to plane Yields smooth surfaces Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Sapwood is permeable Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is permeable Resistance to Splitting Good Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Good response to hand tools Routing & Recessing Recessing is easy Sanding Easy to sand Screwing Good screwing properties Good screw holding properties Turning Good results Painting Good results Strength Properties Hardness (side grain) = very soft Bending strength (MOR) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = large Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7026 11011 psi Density 28 lbs/ft3 Hardness 319 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 2953 4979 psi Shearing Strength 1221 psi Stiffness 1103 1291 1000 psi Weight 27 24 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 493 774 kg/cm2 Density 448 kg/m3 Hardness 144 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 207 350 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 85 kg/cm2 Stiffness 77 90 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 432 384 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Battiscombe, E.,1926,A Descriptive Catalogue of some of the Common Trees and Woody Plants of,Kenya Colony,Crown Agents for the Colonies London 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 Brenan, J.P.M., Greenway, P.J.,1949,Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire,Imperial Forestry Institute, Oxford No.5 Tanganyika Territories Part 2 Cooper, G.P., Record, S.J.,1931,The Evergreen Forests of Liberia,Yale School Forestry Bulletin,31,pp1-153 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Forest Products Research Laboratory, Nigeria,1965,Nigerian Timbers for Matchmaking,Nigeria Fed. Department of Forest Research, Ibadan, Forest Products,Research Laboratory Report No.5 Fouarge, J., Gerard, G.,1964,Bois du Mayumbe,I.N.E.A.C. Belguim 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 France - Comite Nacional des Bois Coloniaux,1931,Etude Physique et Mecanique des Bois Coloniaux,Assoc. Colonies-Sciences & Comite National des Bios Coloniaux, Paris,,France Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Keay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan Kennedy, J.D.,1936,Forest Flora of Southern Nigeria,Government Printer Lagos Kryn, J.M., Forbes, E.W.,1959,The Woods of Liberia,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture,Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,,Report No. 2159 Lebacq, L., Dechamps, R.,1967,Contribution a un Inventaire de Forets du Nord-kasai,Musee Royal de L'Afrique Centrale Belgium Annals Series 8 No.5 Meniaud, J., Bretonnet, F.,1926,Les Bois Coloniaux d'Afrique dans l'Industrie,Publ. de l'Agence Gen. des Colonies Pieters, A.,1977,Essences Forestieres du Zaire,R.U.G. Gent Belguim Savill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra Leone 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 Taylor, C.J.,1960,Synecology and Silviculture in Ghana,University College of Ghana Thomas Nelson and Sons United Kingdom - H.M.S.O.,1954,Report of the Matchwood Working Party,H.M.S.O. for the Board of Trade and Ministry of Materials Unwin, A.H.,1920,West African Forests and Forestry,T. Fisher Unwin Ltd. London Wimbush, S.H.,1950,Catalogue of Kenya Timbers,Govt. Printer Nairobi Kenya