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LIMBALI (Gilbertiodendron brachystegioides)

Trade Name

Limbali

Scientific Name

Gilbertiodendron brachystegioides J.Leon.

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

Abeum (Gabon); Ekoussek (Cameroon); Limbali

Scientific Name Synonyms

Macrolobium brachystegioides Harms

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree is slightly buttressed. The bole is straight and cylindrical, may be up to 20 m in length, with diameters of 80 cm.

Natural Habitat

Natural Distribution

West Africa, Cameroon and Gabon.

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 Occasionally axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Axial parenchyma lozenge-aliform. Axial parenchyma aliform. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Occasionally rays and/or axial elements irregularly storied. Rays exclusively uniseriate. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.

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

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is white (outside) to brown (inside). The heartwood is brown with pale brown rings, it is clearly demarcated.

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

4

Grain

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

Texture

The texture of the wood is frequently coarse.

Luster

Luster is usually low.

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

No residual stresses are reported in this species.

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)

0.64

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

0.71

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

9.2

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

4.5

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: It is reported to have a slow drying rate. Drying Defects: Risk of surface checks.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

FR-6

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

2.0

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

1111

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

173600

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

611

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

81

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

78

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

626

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

720

Workability

Sawing

It is moderately easy to saw.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Not suitable for slicing.

Sliced Veneer

Not suitable for slicing.

Blunting Effect

Moderate blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are advised.

Machining

Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.

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.

Response To Hand Tools

Working with hand tools is difficult.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

EXTERIOR GENERAL, rails, HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, boards, flooring, parquet, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, TURNING, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boat deck, port storage

Exterior General
  • 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
Rails
  • 6 - Physical and mechanical properties of Eucalyptus deglupta Blume grown in Costa Rica
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
Turning
  • 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Truck Body
  • 53 - Timbers of the New World
Truck Flooring
  • 54 - Bulletin of the Government Forest Experiment Station N.157: Identification of Tropical Woods
Shipbuilding
  • 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boat Decking
  • 59 - Programa Nacional de uso Sostenible de los Bosques e Incremento a las Exportaciones.
Port Storage
  • 62 - Estudio Tecnológico de Maderas del Perú (Zona Pucallpa) Vol I

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