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AKPA (Tetrapleura tetraptera)

Trade Name

Akpa

Scientific Name

Tetrapleura tetraptera Taub.

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

ighimiakia (Nigeria); Aridan (Nigeria); Esehese (Côte d`Ivoire); Nkouarsa (Gabon); Ezibil (Congo); Badiok (Congo); Angulu (Central African Republic); Kpwa (Cameroon); Essesé (Cameroon); Djaga (Cameroon); Akpa (Cameroon); Prekese; Ossgosha; Kyeke; Kokundui; Kokondu; Ka-segbel; Ka-loma; Imiminje; Ikoho; Ikhememi; Igmikkia; Ighirehimi; Ighimiakia; Esem; Edeminang; Ebuk; Buleu; Budjo; Bubao; Arido; Aridan; Aprekese; Apapa; Angular pod; Akposso; Akpa

Scientific Name Synonyms

Tetrapleura thonningii Benth.; Adenanthera tetraptera Schum. & Thonn.; Adenanthera tetraptera Schumach. & Thonn.

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree reaches a height of 30 m. The bole may be up to 10 to 16 m in length, with small and sharp buttresses. The trunk diameter attains 100 cm.

Natural Habitat

Tetrapleura tetraptera occurs in secondary, mixed and fringing forests.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. Two cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is white or grey, it has a thickness of 5 cm. The heartwood is pale red, darkening to a yellow-red or brown color, it is clearly demarcated.

Grain

Straight; grain has no particular influence on drying, machining and finishing qualities.

Texture

The texture of the wood is fine.

Natural Durability

Moderately resistant to termites attack. The heartwood is sensible to Lyctus attacks.

Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)

4

Resistance To Impregnation

Difficult to treat with only a low penetration of the preservative products.

Wood Physical Properties

Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)

0.56

Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)

0.61

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Drying is easy; it can be performed without any problem. Drying Defects: No particular risks of drying defects, subject to normal drying conditions. Kiln Schedules: The kiln schedule has been tested.

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)

842

Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

511

Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

64

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

459

Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)

563

Workability

Sawing

It is easy to saw.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Not suitable for veneering.

Sliced Veneer

Not suitable for veneering.

Blunting Effect

Slight blunting effect; ordinary tools can be used for sawing and machining.

Machining

Machining of this species is reportedly easy.

Planing

Easy; no particular problems.

Moulding

Rather difficult; special tools are needed.

Turning

30

Boring

Rather difficult; special tools are needed.

Mortising

Rather difficult; special tools are needed.

Nailing

No particular problem.

Gluing

Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.

Sanding

Easy to perform; it gives good results.

Polishing

Can be polished without surface preparation.

Response To Hand Tools

No particular problems.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, cores, TURNING, TOOLS, agricultural tools, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boats, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Fittings
  • 19 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Cabinet
  • 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Cores
  • 27 - Embassy of Brazil in Japan
Turning
  • 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Tools
  • 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Agricultural Tools
  • 44 - Atlas of Peruvian Woods
Shipbuilding
  • 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boats
  • 56 - Manual de Identificación de Especies Forestales de la Subregión Andina.
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)

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