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MERBATU (Atuna racemosa)
Trade Name
Merbatu
Scientific Name
Atuna racemosa Cockburn ex Prance
Family
CHRYSOBALANACEAE
Common Names
Getabon (Philippines); Botga (Philippines); Tabon-tabon (Philippines); Membatu (Sabah); Kukut (Sarawak); Pele kambing (Indonesia); Lomo (Indonesia); Atung (Indonesia)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Parinari glaberrimum (Hassk.) Hassk.; Cyclandrophora excelsa (Jack) Kosterm.; Atuna excelsa (Jack) Kosterm.; Atuna elata (King) Kosterm.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a tree up to 35 m tall often with short buttresses.
Natural Habitat
It is a canopy tree, growing in well drained, evergreen lowland and hill forest, up to 800 m of altitude.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Occasionally tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Simple perforation plat Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Over 9 cells per parenchyma strand. Axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wide. Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Silica bodies in the ray cells. Occasionally body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Occasionally body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or squa Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is pale-brown to red-brown, not clearly demarcated from the paler to white sapwood.
Grain
This timber usually has straight or interlocked grain.
Texture
This species is usually reported to have a fine texture.
Natural Durability
The timber of this species is not resistant to dry wood insects, but it is reported to be fairly resistant against marine borers.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Silica Content
Silica Content: It is reported to have a high amount of silica. Contents over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.84
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.80
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Air seasoning is generally reported to be difficult. Drying Defects: Strong tendency to warp and check, collapse and honeycombing are also reported. Kiln Schedules: Careful drying is recommended.
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Workability
Sawing
It is very difficult to cut and saw due to its high silica content, but can be split easily for firewood.
Blunting Effect
The wood has a severe blunting effect.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
EXTERIOR GENERAL, poles, stakes posts, crossties, HOUSING GENERAL, beams, flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, port pillar
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
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Port Pillar
- 61 - Manual de Diseño para Maderas del Grupo Andino
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