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EBIARA (Berlinia bracteosa)

Trade Name

Ebiara

Scientific Name

Berlinia bracteosa Benth.

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

Sarkpei (Sierra Leone); M'possa (Zaire); M'possa (Congo); M'possa (Angola); Sarkpei; Obolo; Berlinia (Germany); Berlinia (United Kingdom); M`possa (Zaire); M`possa (Congo); Ebiara (Gabon); Essabem (Cameroon); Abem (Cameroon); Ekpogoi (Nigeria); Melegba (Côte d`Ivoire); Pocouli (Côte d`Ivoire)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Westia bracteosa (Benth.) J.F. Macbr.; Macroberlinia bracteosa (Benth.) Hauman; Berlinia platycarpa Pierre ex De Wild.; Berlinia mayumbensis De Wild.

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree reaches a height of 32 to 43 m, with diameters from 100 up to 170 cm. The boles are often irregular, sometimes fluted with low buttresses.

Natural Habitat

Berlinia bracteosa is found in various forest types like savanna formations, marshy localities, or dense forests.

Natural Distribution

West Africa and reaching to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Axial parenchyma thick lozenge-aliform. Axial parenchyma aliform. Occasionally axial parenchyma confluent. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 3 to 4 cells per pa Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Rays non-storied. Rays 1 to 2 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.

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

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is whitish to pinkish, it has a thickness of 10 to 15 cm. The heartwood is pink brown to dark red brown with dark brown or purple streaks, it is clearly demarcated.

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

5

Grain

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

Texture

The texture is mostly medium to coarse.

Natural Durability

Moderately durable to decay. Without preservative treatment, this species can be used only under risk of occasional re-humidification. It is not suited for uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Moderately resistant to termites attack

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

3

Internal Growth Stresses

For this species no growth stresses are reported.

Silica Content

Silica Content: It is reported to have a negligible amount of silica. Contents over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0

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)

0.61

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

0.68

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

6.9

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

2.7

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Air seasoning is moderately difficult but with little or no degrade. Drying Defects: Risk of end splitting and surface checking. Kiln Schedules: Kiln drying gives good results.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

FR-6

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

2.6

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

1007

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

111600

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

633

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

85

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

78

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

567

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

666

Workability

Sawing

It is easy to saw.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Suitable for slicing, also suitable for peeling if treated.

Sliced Veneer

Suitable for slicing, also suitable for peeling if treated.

Blunting Effect

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

Machining

Machining of this species is reportedly easy.

Planing

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Moulding

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Turning

30

Boring

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Mortising

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Nailing

Pre-boring is necessary.

Gluing

Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.

Sanding

Easy to perform; it gives good results.

Polishing

Needs pre-coating.

Steam Bending

This species can be used for steam bending.

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, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, faces, Decorative veneer, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, cutlery, lasts, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts

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, 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
Faces
  • 26 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
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
Knife Handles
  • 33 - Embassy of Gabon in Japan
Lasts
  • 34 - Embassy of Indonesia in Japan
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)

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