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BANGKAL (Nauclea orientalis)

Trade Name

Bangkal

Scientific Name

Nauclea orientalis (L.) L.

Family

RUBIACEAE

Common Names

Gempol (Indonesia); Bengkal (Indonesia); Bangkal; Tum kham (Thailand); Klepu pasir (Indonesia); Bulala (Philippines); Yellow cheesewood (Papua New Guinea); Prung (Myanmar); Kayu mas (Indonesia); Mau-kadon (Myanmar); Kan lueang (Thailand); Krathum khlong (Thailand); Mambog (Philippines)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Sarcocephalus undulatus Miq; Sarcocephalus cordatus Miq.; Nauclea coadunata Roxb. Ex. J.E. Smith; Cephalanthus orientalis L.

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

It is a large tree reaching heights of about 20 m and 80 cm in diameter. The buttresses are absent. The bole is up to 9 m long, cylindrical and straight.

Natural Habitat

Nauclea occurs in lowland an hill forests, sometimes up to 1,100 m of altitude, often along stream and swampy locations.

Non Timber Uses

A yellow dye can be obtained from the root bark.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Occasionally vessels with colored deposits. Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Occasionally vessels per mm2 less than 6. Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to interve Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Occasionally paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Occasionally rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Ray height more than 1 mm. Body ray cells procumbent with over 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-I). Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cel Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.

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

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Odor

It has no taste or smell.

Color

The sapwood is often undefined, pale yellow or white. The heartwood varies from whitish-orange buff to saffron.

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

5

Grain

The grain is slightly interlocked.

Texture

Fine texture is reported in this species.

Luster

The wood surface is dull.

Natural Durability

The wood is fairly resistant to insect attacks, but susceptible to dry wood termites. The heartwood is moderately resistant to blue stain.

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

6

Silica Content

Silica Content: It is non-siliceous. Silica Value: 0

Resistance To Impregnation

The sapwood is permeable to impregnation, the heartwood is usually permeable but may be moderately resistant in some instances.

Wood Physical Properties

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

0.49

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

0.54

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

5.8

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

3.5

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Seasoning is generally easy and rapid with little degrade. Drying Defects: Risk of moderate warping. Kiln Schedules: Kiln drying is fairly rapid under moderate schedules.

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

1.6

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

Workability

Sawing

N. orientalis saws easily.

Machining

Wood processing is reported to be easy.

Moulding

Molding operations are reported to be easy.

Turning

30

Finishing

This species is reported to give a good finish.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, shutter boards, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, TURNING, TOOLS, PACKING, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, matches, moldings

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Shutter Boards
  • 20 - Prospect: The wood database
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
Turning
  • 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Tools
  • 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Packing
  • 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Matches
  • 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement
Molding
  • 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão

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