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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing 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 Screwing Steam Bending Texture Trade Name Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Gambeya madagascariensis Trade Name Famelona á grandes feuilles Family Name Sapotaceae Common Names Famelona á grandes feuilles Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Madagascar Common Uses Barge fenders, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Docks, Dockwork, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Harbor work, Hatracks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Naval architecture, Office furniture, Plywood, Precision instruments, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Raft floats, Rafts, Rustic furniture, Stools, Tables , Turnery, Utility furniture, Wardrobes, Wharf construction Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Heartwood Color Brown Pink Yellowish brown Sapwood Color Yellow White The sapwood is not indistinguishable from the heartwood Grain Even Straight Texture Fine Even or uniform Fine Even textured Luster Somewhat lustrous Natural Durability Moderately resistant to decay Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Poor air circulation during drying may contribute to sap staining Ease of Drying Moderate Dries slowly with little degrade Blunting Effect High to severe Cutting edges are dulled slightly Boring Fairly easy to very easy Yields smooth clean surfaces Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good response to carving Cutting Resistance Low cutting resistance Gluing Good gluing properties The material is described as a good joining timber Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds readily to mortising Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good moulding properties Nailing Good nailing qualities The wood takes nails well, and nail-holding power is moderate Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Yields smooth surfaces The wood is reported to plane to produce smooth and attractive surfaces Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is very resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Good response to both hand and machine tools Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good routing qualities Sanding Very good response to sanding Screwing Good screwing properties Good screw holding properties Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Steam Bending Good Painting Good results Polishing Good results Varnishing Good results Numerical Data Item Green Dry English 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