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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 Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects 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 Silica Content Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Pterygota bequaertii Trade Name African Pterygota Family Name Common Names African pterygota, Ake, Anatolia, Awari, Efok, Ikame, Impa, Kakende, Kefe, Koto, Kyere, Poroposo, Pterygota Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Zaire Common Uses Bent Parts, Broom handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Trimming, Utility furniture, Veneer, Wainscotting, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Status unknown in many of its growth areas Secure in many areas of its range Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within parts of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview Common in the tropical evergreen and mixed deciduous forests of West Africa. Its range extends from the Ivory Coast to Zaire. Heartwood Color Brown Purple Pink Red Yellowish tinge White to cream Grayish tinge Sapwood Color Yellow Brown Grey Pale yellow Not clearly defined from sapwood Grain Even Straight Interlocked Shallowly interlocked Quartersawn surfaces show distinct flecked figure Grain shows small knot clusters Generally straight, but not always The wood has high rays which produces a distinct flecked figure on quartersawn surfaces. Texture Medium Coarse Generally coarse Luster Medium High Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Brittleheart sometimes present. Particularly in older logs Natural Durability Wood in contact with gound may last only 5 years Sapwood is susceptible to wood broing insects Sapwood is susceptible to powder-post beetle Heartwood has very little resistance to decay Odor Seasoned wood has no odor or taste Green wood has disagreeable smell Silica Content Siliceous High Kiln Schedules T8 - D3s (8/4) US T10 - D4s (4/4) US Schedule H - United Kingdom Drying Defects Distortion Checking Slight surface checking Shakes may become extended Moderate cupping Distortion (twist/warp) is likely Discoloration from sticker marks may develop Ease of Drying Rapidly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Air dries rapidly under cover Tree Size Tree height is 50-60 m Tree height is 60-70 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that the species is a regular source of timber for export. Substitutes Ako (Antiaris africana , A. welwitschii) Blunting Effect High to severe Slight Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Moderately easy Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Satisfactory results Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Easy to saw Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good gluing properties Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Response to ordinary tools is fairly good Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moulds easily with machine tools Movement in Service Moderate stability Medium Nailing Good nailing properties Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Torn grain common in quartersawn material Reduction of cutting angle recommended Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately permeable Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Poorly Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Routes fairly well with machine tools Sanding Fairly good sanding characteristics Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Satisfactory turning qualities Polishing Generally good Strength Properties Resists denting and marring Heavy Density = high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9869 14989 psi Density 37 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1931 lbs Impact Strength 31 37 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4827 7903 psi Shearing Strength 1448 psi Stiffness 1332 1751 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 13 15 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.5 0.53 Weight 53 41 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 11 % Volumetric Shrinkage 15 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 693 1053 kg/cm2 Density 592 kg/m3 Hardness 875 kg Impact Strength 78 93 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 339 555 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 101 kg/cm2 Stiffness 93 123 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.91 1.05 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.5 0.53 Weight 849 657 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 11 % 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 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. HMSO. 1972. Handbook of Hardwoods. 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. 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. Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.