< Back MELEFOUFOU (Homalium letestui) Print Friendly View
MELEFOUFOU (Homalium letestui)
Trade Name
Melefoufou
Scientific Name
Homalium letestui Pellegr.
Family
FLACOURTIACEAE
Common Names
Otou (Nigeria); Akporo (Nigeria); Melefoufou (Côte d`Ivoire); Mvezork (Gabon); Tembo (Cameroon); Abena (Cameroon); Teinpiando; Roko bachi; Otu; Nyegalei; Mmepomdua; Miarire; Melefoufou; Koli-galei; Kalado; Homalium; Esononankoroma; Esono-nankoroma; Eson-kruma; Ekalado; Di iroa; Basa bro-kpar; Akpurukwu; Akporo; Abo-ako
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 26 to 30 m. The bole is straight, clear and tall, sometimes with low buttresses or a swollen base. The trunk diameter attains 70 cm.
Natural Habitat
Homalium letestui grows mainly in dense rain forest.
Natural Distribution
From Guinea to Gabon.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Vessels per mm2 more than 20 (very abundant). Occasionally tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less. Intervessel pits small, 7 micras or less. Axial parenchyma absent or extremely rare, non visible with magnifying glass (8x). Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Heterogeneous rays and/or multiseriate heterogeneous rays. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is yellowish white. darker stripes are sometimes present, it is not demarcated.
Grain
Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.
Texture
The wood is typically fine in texture.
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
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)
0.77
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.87
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Drying is very slow and difficult to perform; defects are frequent. Drying Defects: Risks of checks and distortions. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed as a reference by comparison with well known species taking into account to the general technological behavior of this species.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-13
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1187
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
230645
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
724
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
102
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
98
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
949
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
1003
Workability
Sawing
Sawing of this species requires powerful equipment.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Not suitable for veneering.
Sliced Veneer
Not suitable for veneering.
Machining
It needs powerful tools for processing. Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.
Planing
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Moulding
Easy; no particular problems.
Boring
Easy; no particular problems.
Mortising
Easy; no particular problems.
Nailing
Pre-boring is necessary.
Gluing
Difficult to glue because of high density.
Sanding
Easy to perform; it gives good results.
Polishing
Can be polished without surface preparation.
Response To Hand Tools
Working with hand tools is difficult.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
EXTERIOR GENERAL, poles, stakes posts, crossties, HOUSING GENERAL, parquet, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, cabinets, SPORTS, TOOLS, agricultural tools, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boats, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts
Exterior General
- 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
Poles
- 3 - Estudo dendrologico e determinacao das caracteristicas fisicas e mecanicas do genipapo (Genipa americana)
Stake Posts
- 5 - Propriedades fisicas e mecanicas da madeira e do contraplacado de Pinus elliottii
Crossties
- 8 - Maderas latinoamericas. III, Podocarpus standleyi ,Podocarpus oleifolius, Drims granadensis, Magnolia poasana y Didymopanax pittieri
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Parquet
- 15 - Empire Timbers
Fittings
- 19 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Cabinet
- 24 - Empire Timbers
Sports
- 38 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Agricultural Tools
- 44 - Atlas of Peruvian Woods
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
Boats
- 56 - Manual de Identificación de Especies Forestales de la Subregión Andina.
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Please Provide Information To View Producer Information