BRACHYCHITON (Brachychiton carruthersii)
Trade Name
Brachychiton
Scientific Name
Brachychiton carruthersii F. v.Mueller
Family
STERCULIACEAE
Common Names
Flame tree
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a deciduous, small to medium-sized tree up to 35 m tall. The bole is cylindrical, sometimes slightly swollen towards the base, branchless for up to 15 m, up to 75 cm in diameter.
Natural Habitat
This tree grows scattered in lowland coastal and monsoon forest, often in the transition zone between savanna woodland and lowland forest up to 500 m of altitude.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. Intervessel pits me Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Occasionally apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Occasionally axial parenchyma aliform. Axial parenchyma Occasionally rays less than 4 per mm (rare). Occasionally rays of two distinct sizes. Ray height more than 1 mm. Occasionally larger rays more than 4 seriate. Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Sheath cells. Occasionally body ray cells procumbent with over 4 rows Crystals in fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits. Fibers storied.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood and sapwood are white to cream.
Grain
Straight grain is reported in this species.
Texture
The texture of the wood is frequently coarse.
Luster
The surface of the wood is naturally lustrous.
Natural Durability
It is perishable and prone to blue stain and insect damage.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Resistance To Impregnation
The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservatives, the sapwood is permeable.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.32
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.34
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.4
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
2.3
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Air seasoning is moderate. Drying Defects: Risk of warp and collapse. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed for Silkwood Maple.
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
3.2
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
296
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
45414
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
199
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
41
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
93
Workability
Machining
It is easy to machine.
Planing
The wood cannot be planed to a smooth surface.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
SPORTS, PACKING, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, matches
Sports
- 38 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
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
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