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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 Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Homalium spp. Trade Name Burma lancewood Family Name Flacourtiaceae Common Names Bro kpah, Burma lancewood, Malas, Melefoufou, Myauk chaw, Myaukugo, Petaling padang, Puyot, Selimbar Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines Common Uses Balusters, Bent Parts, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Ceiling, Chairs, Chests, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Fine furniture, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Handles, Hatracks, Interior construction, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shafts/Handles, Shakes, Sheathing, Shingles, Siding, Stair rails, Stairworks, Stools, Stringers, Sub-flooring, Tool handles, Turnery, Utility furniture Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Burma to Indomalesia. A tree of primary, lowland, rain forest found between 50 - 600m. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow White Black Red Orange Reddish brown Brown - yellowish Brown - grayish Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Green/Grey Same as heartwood Grain Even Straight Interlocked Occasionally interlocked, but not always Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Fine Fine Even textured Luster Dull Natural Durability Durable Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Moderately resistant to attack by termites Moderately durable Odor No specific smell or taste Some Homalium species are reported to have an iodine-like scent that may persist for a long time Drying Defects Checking Distortion Severe surface checking Severe end splitting Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Radial and tangential shrinkage from 1-4% Difficult Control drying yields best results Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Bark width is 10-15 mm Comments May contain crystals Blunting Effect Moderate Severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Carving Generally good results Cutting Resistance Difficult to saw Gluing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Fair to Good Results Moulding Fair to Good Results Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Sanding Good sanding qualities Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Polishing Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13519 17123 psi Crushing Strength 1225 1573 psi Density 57 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1857 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 7071 8457 psi Static Bending 9183 12152 psi Stiffness 1970 2169 1000 psi Toughness 134 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.68 Weight 52 43. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 950 1203 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 86 110 kg/cm2 Density 913 kg/m3 Hardness 842 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 497 594 kg/cm2 Static Bending 645 854 kg/cm2 Stiffness 138 152 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 154 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.68 References Bolza, E., Kloot, N. H. 1966. The Mechanical Properties of 81 New Guinea Timbers. Technological Paper No. 41. Division of Forest Products, Center for Scientific and Industrial Organization (CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. EcoTimber International, San Francisco, California. Personal Communication, 1993. Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1 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.