Select Language:  

CORDIA D`AFRIQUE (Cordia africana)

Trade Name

Cordia d`Afrique

Scientific Name

Cordia africana Lam.

Family

BORAGINACEAE

Common Names

Omo (Nigeria); Bon (Côte d`Ivoire); African Cordia (United Kingdom); African Cordia (Germany); Sumba (Zaire); Ebe (Gabon); Ebais (Gabon); Ebe (Cameroon); Ebais (Cameroon); Mukebu (Uganda); Mukumari (Kenya); Mugoma (Kenya)

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree reaches a height of 15 to 20 m. The bole is often crooked or curved. The trunk diameter attains 90 cm.

Natural Habitat

Cordia africana is reported in semi-tropical rain forest on the highlands, in moist and warm climate between 1,200 and 1,800 m of altitude, and in open semi-dry savanna.

Plantations Available?

Often planted near villages.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Tyloses common. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Intervessel pits medium, 7 to 10 micras. Axial parenchyma apparent with the naked eye. Axial parenchyma in thick bands. Prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells. Occasionally larger rays width 0. 1 mm or more and 2 mm or more in height. Heterogeneous rays and/or multiseriate heterogeneous rays. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Sheath cells.

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The heartwood is from pale golden brown to brown, occasionally pinkish brown, it is sometimes not clearly demarcated. The silver figure is medium.

Grain

Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.

Texture

The wood is reported to have a coarse texture.

Luster

The wood is described as moderate in luster.

Natural Durability

Durable to decay; this species can be utilized without preservative treatment for exterior joinery or similar uses. Resistant to termites attack. Heartwood is resistant to Lyctus attacks.

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

1

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)

0.39

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

0.41

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

4.8

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

3.6

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Giam timber air dries slowly, often with slight end and sueface cheeks, and splits. Drying Defects: Boards of 15mm thick take about 6 months to air-dry. Kiln Schedules: kiln-drying characternstics have not been assessed but in Malaysia kiln schedule B is recommended.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

FR-5

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

1.3

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

744

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

72349

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

285

Workability

Sawing

It is easy to saw.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Suitable for slicing.

Sliced Veneer

Suitable for slicing.

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

Easy; no particular problems.

Turning

30

Boring

Easy; no particular problems.

Mortising

Easy; no particular problems.

Nailing

No particular problem.

Gluing

Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.

Sanding

Easy to perform; it gives good results.

Polishing

Needs pre-coating.

Response To Hand Tools

No particular problems.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, boards, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, Decorative veneer, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Boards
  • 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Frames
  • 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
  • 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
  • 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
  • 19 - Silica in Timbers
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
Cabinet
  • 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Decorative veneer
  • 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
Turning
  • 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Ornaments
  • 31 - Embassy of Colombia in Japan
Turned Articles
  • 32 - Embassy of Cote d`Ivoire in Japan

Please Provide Information To View Producer Information

* Or, continue as guest