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MEMPISANG (Polyalthia oblongifolia)

Trade Name

Mempisang

Scientific Name

Polyalthia oblongifolia Burck

Family

ANNONACEAE

Common Names

Mempisang (Papua New Guinea)

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

It is a small to medium sized, rarely a large tree up to 40 m high on average, up to 60 cm in diameter. The bole is straight, occasionally fluted at the base or with small buttresses.

Natural Habitat

Polyalthia species occur scattered as understorey or main canopy trees, in primary or secondary lowland to lower montane rain forests, up to 1,200 m of altitude.

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Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less (very small). Occasionally vessels with colored deposits. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Occasionally vessels per mm2 more than 20. Occasionally vessels per mm2 less than 6. Simple perforati Occasionally paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Occasionally two cells per parenchyma strand. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. Occasionally 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wi 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays less than 4 per mm (rare). Rays of two distinct sizes. Ray height more than 1 mm. Occasionally larger rays more than 4 seriate. Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Prismatic crystals in radial alignment in procumbent ray cells (c 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 heartwood is yellow to yellowish-brown with a green or pink tinge, not clearly differentiated from the pale yellow sapwood.

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

6

Grain

The grain is frequently straight.

Texture

The texture varies from moderately coarse to fine.

Natural Durability

The wood is non-durable. Early chemical treatment to prevent stain immediately after sawing is recommended.

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

5

Resistance To Impregnation

The heartwood is reported to be untreatable.

Wood Physical Properties

Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)

0.51

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

0.55

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

7.9

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

2.6

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

3.0

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

881

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

124471

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

591

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

122

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

413

Workability

Rotary Veneer Cutting

This species is reported to have good characteristics for lamination.

Sliced Veneer

This species is reported to have good characteristics for lamination.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, frames, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, SPORTS, TOOLS, tool handles, PACKING, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boat oars, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, shoes, matches, moldings

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Frames
  • 16 - Woods of the World
Paneling
  • 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Sports
  • 38 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
Tools
  • 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Tool Handles
  • 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
Packing
  • 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Shipbuilding
  • 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boat Oars
  • 60 - Amazonian Timbers, Characteristics and Utilization Volume II; Curuá-Una Experimental Forest Station
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Shoes
  • 70 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux de l`union francaise
Matches
  • 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement
Molding
  • 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão

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