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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 Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change 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 Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Mansonia altissima Trade Name Mansonia Family Name Sterculiaceae Common Names African black walnut, African walnut, Afun, Anyi, Aprend, Aprono, Baule, Bete, Bodua, Boroua, Essai, Guissepa, Koul, Mansonia, Nkoul, Odo, Ododo, Ofun, Oprono, Prono, Pruno, Purono, Urodo Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Bobbins, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marquetry, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Office furniture, Organ pipes, Paneling , Paneling, Piano keys, Pianos , Picker sticks, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Shingles, Specialty items, Sporting Goods, Tables, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Vulnerable Extinct Endangered He environmental profile of this species within its natural boundaries has not been officially assessed. Distribution Overview This species occurs in Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria. It prefers dry fertile forest soil over wet forest and tends to be drought tolerant. Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Black Greenish to greyish Brown Purple Dark brown Pale brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Purplish tinge Purple tinge fades Light yellow brown or pale orange brown, eventually aging into deep golden-brown Dark grey-brown Color variation is significant Black Alternating bands of light and dark tissue Sapwood Color White Brown Yellow Pink White to yellow Well defined Paler than heartwood Whitish Different than heartwood Grain Straight Figure Rippled (figure) Interlocked Growth rings (figure) Even Distinct (figure) Rays (figure) Variable (figure) Stripe (figure) Straight Rippled figure Interlocked Clear growth rings (figure) Distinct figure Striped figure Rays figure Occasionally interlocked, but not always Irregular color Generally straight, but not always The heartwood is similar in appearance to American black walnut, but it has closer pores and a different grain structure. Texture Fine Medium Even or uniform Uniform Fine Fine to medium Medium Even textured Luster Medium Lustrous Dull Pronounced Low to Medium Natural Durability Durable Very durable Resistant to termites Moderately durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) often present in the standing tree Very durable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Resistant to attack from marine borers Moderately durable Durable Susceptible to pin hole borer and longhorn beetle Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Heartwood is fairly resistant to termites and other insects Good weathering properties Odor No specific smell or taste Light-Induced Color Change Lighter Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Respiratory effects Dermatitic effects Sawdust is extremely irritating especially to respiratory passages Bark contians poison The bark of the wood also contains mansonin, a cardiac poison of the digitalis group Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast UK=H US=T10D4S/T8D3S Fr=7 Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5 T8 - D3 (8/4) US T10 - D4 (4/4) US Kiln Schedule H; United Kingdom Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Moderate end spitting Slight end splitting Severe end splitting Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking No twisting or warping Moderate twist/warp Expect moderate degrade due to knots, splits, and loosening Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Easy Requires care Dries rapidly with little degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Drying rate is slow Slow Very slow Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Product Sources The ITTO reports that the species is a regular source of timber for export. Export of the material in the log form is prohibited in Ghana and Nigeria. Mansonia is available in limited quantities in both the lumber and veneer forms. It is priced in the moderate range, but is more expensive than American black walnut. Substitutes Piquia (Caryocar villosum) has similar properties. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is slight Blunting effect on machining is moderate Slight to medium effect Blunting effect on sawing green wood is moderate Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Excellent boring qualities Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Carves well in dry condition Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Easy to saw Gluing Easy to glue Good gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good mortising properties Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Excellent moulding properties Movement in Service Medium Moderate stability Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to nail Possible if prebored Good nailing properties Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Easy to plane Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is resistant Sapwood is permeable Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routing yields good results Sanding Good sanding finish Easy to sand Screwing Easy to screw Screwing yields good results Excellent screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results