Select Language:  

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.

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

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

Please Provide Information To View Producer Information

* Or, continue as guest