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MERPAUH (Swintonia spicifera)

Trade Name

Merpauh

Scientific Name

Swintonia spicifera Hook.f.

Family

ANACARDIACEAE

Common Names

Merpauh daun tebal (Malaysia); Kerete (Indonesia); Rengas kilat senja (Malaysia); Mupus (Malaysia); Muom (Cambodia); Thayet-kin (India); Civit (Pakistan); Muom (Vietnam); Civit taungthayet (Myanmar); Taung thayet (Myanmar); Merpau (Malaysia)

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

It is a medium-sized to fairly large tree up to 36 m tall. The bole is up to 80 cm in diameter. The buttresses are rather tall, occasionally 4 m high.

Natural Habitat

Swintonia spicifera is found in lowland and hill forests, sometimes growing gregariously on ridges up to 500 m of altitude.

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Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Wood diffuse porous. Tyloses common. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits large, 10 micras or more. Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Axial parenchyma reticulate. Axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wide. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays exclusively uniseriate. Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent).

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

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is almost indistinguishable. The heartwood occasionally turns reddish brown.

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

5

Grain

It is mostly straight, occasionally wavy.

Texture

It is moderately coarse but uniform.

Natural Durability

It is perishable and susceptible to blue stain.

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

5

Internal Growth Stresses

Residual stresses present in the wood may cause defects while processing the timber.

Silica Content

Silica Content: It is reported to have silica. Contents over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0

Resistance To Impregnation

It has a good absorption of preservative substances.

Wood Physical Properties

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

0.67

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

0.75

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

1.8

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

0.9

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Drying is fairly easy; some difficulties could occur when drying too fast. Drying Defects: Risks of collapse. Kiln Schedules: The kiln schedule has been tested.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

UK-C

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

2.0

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

1099

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

184220

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

578

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

137

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

613

Workability

Sawing

Wood of this species is easy to cut unless tension wood is present.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

This species can be used for lamination.

Sliced Veneer

This species can be used for lamination.

Blunting Effect

It has a severe blunting effect on the cutting tools. The wood jams the saw-blades.

Machining

Machining of this species is reported to be easy.

Planing

It is easy to plane.

Boring

Boring operations are rather difficult.

Nailing

Nailing properties of this wood are reported as good to fair.

Gluing

It is reported to be easy to glue.

Finishing

This species is reported to give good to moderate results in finishing.

Steam Bending

Steam bending of this species is reportedly easy.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boat hulls, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, matches

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
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
Packing
  • 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Shipbuilding
  • 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boat Hulls
  • 57 - Estadísticas de Aprovechamiento, Exportación y comercialización Nacional de Productos Forestales
Matches
  • 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement

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