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MOLAVE (Vitex pinnata)

Trade Name

Molave

Scientific Name

Vitex pinnata L.

Family

VERBENACEAE

Common Names

Bnh linh lng (Vietnam); Tinnok (Thailand); Samo tuipet (Thailand); Kyetyoh (Myanmar); Hairy leafed molave (Philippines); Kulim papa (Sabah); Leban buas (Sarawak); Leban tandok (Malaysia); Gulimpapa (Indonesia); Kalapapa (Indonesia); Laban (Indonesia); Molave

Scientific Name Synonyms

Vitex pubescens Vahl

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

It a small to medium sized tree up to 25 or 30 meters tall. The bole is often crooked, up to 70 cm in diameter.

Natural Habitat

Vitex pinnata is found in open areas, secondary forests and on riverbanks.

Plantations Available?

This species has been introduced in Africa and tropical America.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Tyloses common. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 to 200 micras. Vessel-ray pits coarse throughout the ray cell. Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits medium, 7 to 10 micras. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Ray height more than 1 mm. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits. Septate fibers present.

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The heartwood is not clearly differentiated from the sapwood. The wood is yellow brown to greenish brown.

Grain

The grain is straight to interlocked.

Texture

The texture is fine to medium.

Natural Durability

It is a very durable timber.

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

1

Wood Physical Properties

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

0.47

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

0.51

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

7.4

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

3.5

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Drying is moderately easy; some particular care is needed. Drying Defects: No particular risks of drying defects, subject to normal drying conditions. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed as a reference by comparison with well known species taking into account to the general technological behavior of this species.

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

2.1

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

612

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

86000

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

362

Workability

Sawing

Sawmilling of this species is reportedly easy.

Machining

Machining operations are rather easy.

Planing

Planing of this species is reported to be easy.

Nailing

Vitex timber needs pre-boring, but the nail holding properties are good.

Finishing

Finishing of this species is reportedly easy.

Polishing

Polishing of this wood is easy.

Steam Bending

This species is easy to bend.

Response To Hand Tools

This species is easy to work with hand tools.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

EXTERIOR GENERAL, HOUSING GENERAL, beams, flooring, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, TOOLS, agricultural tools, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, yoke, wheel

Exterior General
  • 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
  • 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
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
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Yokes
  • 74 - World Timbers, Vol.2, North and South America
Wheels
  • 75 - Tropenholzer

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