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API-API (Avicennia alba)
Trade Name
Api-api
Scientific Name
Avicennia alba Blume
Family
VERBENACEAE
Common Names
M[aws]m tr[aws]ng (Vietnam); Phephe le (Thailand); Mae le (Thailand); Samae khao (Thailand); Lame (Myanmar); Aip-api puti (Philippines); Apiapi puteh (Malaysia); Api-api hitam (Sarawak); ros-rosan (Indonesia)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Avicennia spicata Kunth.; Avicennia officinalis L. var. alba (Blume) Hook. e; Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. Var. alba (Blume)
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a small to medium sized tree, reaching up to 30 m in height and 60 cm in diameter. The bole is usually crooked, branchless for the first 10 m.
Natural Habitat
It thrives at the sea level, it is a typical element of the mangrove fringe.
Plantations Available?
Plantations are reported in Fiji.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels in radial multiples of 4 or more common. Occasionally vessels of two distinct diameter classes, wood not ring-porous. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less (very small). Occasionally vessels with col Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Axial parenchyma confluent. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Occasionally rays of two distinct sizes. Ray height more than 1 mm. Occasionally larger rays more than 4 seriate. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is grayish with a purple cast, not differentiated from the sapwood.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
The grain is typically straight or wavy and sometimes interlocked.
Texture
The texture is typically fine to medium.
Luster
It presents a pronounced figure on the tangential face.
Natural Durability
It has very low natural resistance to decay. It is vulnerable to attack by insects and it is also prone to blue stain.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.73
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.83
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.3
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.5
Drying Defects
Drying Defects: Care is needed during seasoning, especially with the heavier timber, as backsawn boards tend to check. Kiln Schedules: Kiln drying of heavier grades of eucalyptus timber is only practicable in boards up to 25 mm in thickness. It is strongly recommended to air dry the wood to 30% moisture content prior to kiln drying.
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.6
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
620
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
107000
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
310
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
77
Workability
Machining
It is rather difficult to work due to the interlocked grain and the presence of stone cells.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, beams, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Luxury
- 22 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section IV-Asian and Oceanian Woods
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
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