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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 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 Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Parinari holstii Trade Name Assila Family Name Chrysobalanaceae Common Names Assila, Eshagho, Mampataz, Mubara, Mubura, Ofam, Sougue Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Ivory Coast Environmental Profile Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center This species is officially classified as Vulnerable within its natural growth range in Cameroon Distribution Overview Grows in West Africa. Heartwood Color Purple Brown Black Red - pale Brown - chocolate Sapwood Color White Brown Red Yellow Pale yellow Not clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Closed Figure The grain is wavy, though often very irregular and interlocked Texture Medium Fine Medium coarse to coarse Luster Medium High Natural Durability Very durable Durable Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Very little natural resistance It is readily attacked by termites and pinhole borers, but is resistant to marine borers. Weathering qualities are rated as moderate Odor The odor disappears after the timber is seasoned The sapwood has a scent of honey when freshly cut Silica Content The wood usually contains very high amounts of silica; levels of more than 1% (of ovendry weight) have been reported. A silica content of 0.05% is usually considered to be high enough to affect the machining properties of wood Kiln Schedules UK=B K=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2 Drying Defects Distortion Splitting Resin Exudation Checking The wood has a tendency to distort and split during drying, and may check and warp. Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Variable Slowly Gum Exudation Tendency to split and distort Preliminary air-drying should precede kiln drying to minimize degrade Mild kiln schedules recommended to minimize drying defects Fairly difficult to dry Dries slowly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Bark width is 10-15 mm Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm The tree is reported to grow to a height of 150 to 170 feet (45 to 52 m), with a trunk diameter of 36 to 60 inches (90 to 150 cm) over buttresses that may be 10 feet (3 m) high. Boles are well-formed, often straight and free of branches for 60 to 90 feet (18 to 27 m) Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe The wood has severe blunting effect on tools due to high amounts of silica Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Easy to saw Moderate to saw The timber is rather difficult to saw because of its high silica content. Tungsten-tipped cutters are required Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Satisfactory gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Significant movement Fair to poor dimensional stability after seasoning Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring is necessary Holds nails well Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Irregular grained material may tear during planing operations Seasoned wood is rather difficult to plane with ordinary tools because of silica content. Tungsten-carbide tipped cutters are recommended Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Siliceous and gummy materials are rather difficult to work with hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding operations are generally made difficult by irregular grain and silica content Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring is required before screwing Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Tends to dull cutting edges of ordinary tools rapidly and severely Specially-Tipped cutters are required in almost all operations Turning, boring, moulding, mortising, and other machining operations are rather difficult because of interlocked grain and high amounts of silica Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moderate Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly good polishing characteristics Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Weight = very heavy Density = very high The bending strength qualities of this species in the air-dry condition is very high, far superior to those of Mahogany. Strength qualities in compression parallel to grain are exceptionally high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12250 19110 psi Density 51 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 6174 10094 psi Shearing Strength 2381 psi Stiffness 2019 2313 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.64 Weight 45 37. lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Volumetric Shrinkage 16 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 861 1343 kg/cm2 Density 817 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 434 709 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 167 kg/cm2 Stiffness 141 162 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.64 Weight 721 592. kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % 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