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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 Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability 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 Staining Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Gambeya subnuda Trade Name Longhi Family Name Sapotaceae Common Names Longhi Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zaire Common Uses Beams, Bent Parts, Building construction, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Core Stock, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Stairworks, Veneer Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Rare Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat Status unknown in many of its growth areas Generally secure within its natural habitat Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare in some parts of its natural range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Officially classified as Vulnerable in Cameroon and Ivory Coast. It is also either Extinct, Endangered, Rare, or Vulnerable in Uganda. Its status in the wild is currently listed as unknown because of inadequate information in Benin, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo Distribution Overview West and Central Africa, from Sierra Leone to the Congo region and Angola. It is a rain forest species, though it may be found in transitional forests within its range. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow White Orange Red Pink Green/grey Whitish Pinkish brown Olive yellow The heartwood is initially whitish, but turns pinkish brown to olive yellow upon exposure Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red White to yellow Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Even Straight Interlocked Occasionally interlocked, but not always Generally straight, but not always Texture Fine Medium Fine to medium Luster Medium Low Low Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to termites Non-durable Perishable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to attack by marine borers and termites Liable to blue stain Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Distortion (twist/warp) is likely Checking Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Moderate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 0-10 m Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bark width is 20-25 mm Product Sources The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced occasionally and exported only in low volumes. Blunting Effect Cutting edges are dulled slightly Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Fair results Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds fairly well to carving Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Low cutting resistance Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair mortising properties Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair moulding results (50+ % of pieces will yield good to excellent results) Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Excellent Stability - Small Movement Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Possible if prebored Nailing requires pre-boring, but the timber is reported to hold nails firmly Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Yields smooth surfaces Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Responds fairly well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routs fairly well Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair sanding qualities Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Turns well Veneering Qualities Logs can peel and slice satisfactorily into veneers Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 21678 psi Density 45 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 9055 psi Stiffness 1921 1000 psi Weight 62 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1524 kg/cm2 Density 721 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 636 kg/cm2 Stiffness 135 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 993 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France.