Select Language:  

ANDOUNG (Monopetalanthus durandii)

Trade Name

Andoung

Scientific Name

Monopetalanthus durandii Halle et Normand

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

N'Douma (France); N'Douma (Gabon); Andoung (Gabon); Ekop (Equatorial Guinea); Andung (Equatorial Guinea); Andjung (Equatorial Guinea); Kikayi (Congo); Zoele (Cameroon); Ekop Zoélé (Cameroon); Ekop Mayo (Cameroon); Andoung

Scientific Name Synonyms

Bikinia durandii (Halle & Normand) Wieringa

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree reaches a height of 32 to 40 m. The bole is generally cylindrical and up to 23 m in length, with low buttresses. The trunk diameter attains 170 cm.

Natural Habitat

Monopetalanthus durandii is found in coastal forests, dense riparian forests and in swampy areas.

Natural Distribution

West Africa, particularly in countries south of the Gulf of Guinea : Gabon, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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 6 to 10 (medium). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits i Occasionally axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/o Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Rays and/or axial elements irregularly storied. Rays 1 to 2 seriate. Rays exclusively uniseriate. 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.

  • Wood Macro Photo Radial Plane
  • Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The heartwood is light brown to pinkish brown ; darkens slightly on exposure, it is not clearly demarcated. The silver figure is barely visible.

COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)

6

Grain

Interlocked grain is high but not frequent. Special care is needed when drying because of frequent risks of distortion.

Texture

Texture is reported to be fine to medium.

Luster

Luster is usually low.

Natural Durability

Not durable; important risks of decay attacks at any processing step, from logs up to final products. It must receive preservative treatment. Sensible to termites attack. The heartwood is sensible to Lyctus attacks.

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

5

Internal Growth Stresses

Residual growth stresses are absent.

Resistance To Impregnation

Moderately easy to treat with a partial penetration of the preservative products.

Wood Physical Properties

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

0.55

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

0.60

Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

7.5

Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

4.1

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Drying is fairly easy; some difficulties could occur when drying too fast. Drying Defects: No particular risks of drying defects, subject to normal drying conditions. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed as a reference by comparison with well known species taking into account to the general technological behavior of this species.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

FR-6

Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)

1.8

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

956

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

160074

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

510

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

64

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

70

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

442

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

547

Workability

Sawing

It is easy to saw.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Suitable for peeling if treated.

Sliced Veneer

Suitable for peeling if treated.

Blunting Effect

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

Machining

Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.

Planing

Easy; no particular problems.

Moulding

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Boring

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Mortising

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Nailing

No particular problem.

Gluing

Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.

Sanding

Difficult to obtain very good results because of interlocked grain.

Polishing

Can be polished without surface preparation.

Response To Hand Tools

No particular problems.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, boards, flooring, parquet, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, shutter boards, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, common furniture, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, faces, cores, PACKING, heavy packing, pallets

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
  • 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Joists
  • 12 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part I-Tropical American Species
Boards
  • 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Parquet
  • 15 - Empire Timbers
Frames
  • 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
  • 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
  • 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
  • 19 - Silica in Timbers
Shutter Boards
  • 20 - Prospect: The wood database
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Common
  • 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Faces
  • 26 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
Cores
  • 27 - Embassy of Brazil in Japan
Packing
  • 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Heavy Packing
  • 47 - Arvores Brasileiras
Pallets
  • 48 - The strength properties of timbers

Please Provide Information To View Producer Information

* Or, continue as guest