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PETAI (Parkia speciosa)

Trade Name

Petai

Scientific Name

Parkia speciosa Hassk.

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

Sator kow (Thailand); Sator dan (Thailand); Patag (Malaysia); Peuteuy (Indonesia); Pete (Indonesia); Nyiring (Malaysia); U`pang (Philippines); Sator (Thailand); Petai (Indonesia); Petai (Malaysia)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Parkia harbesonii Elmer

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

It is a deciduous, medium-sized to large tree up to 50 m tall. The bole is up to 100 cm in diameter. The buttresses are small to up to 4 m high and spreading up to 2 m.

Natural Habitat

Parkia species are reported scattered in lowland rain forests, sometimes in tall secondary forests. They are also found in waterlogged locations, in freshwater swamp forests and riverbanks, up to 1,000 m of altitude.

Natural Distribution

It is Malaysia, Indonesia and Borneo.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. Intervessel pits small, 7 micras or less. Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Axial parenchyma confluent. Rays and/or axial elements irregularly storied. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.

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

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Odor

The wood has unpleasant garlic or bean-like odor when fresh.

Color

The heartwood is white, yellow-white or pale yellowish-brown, not clearly differentiated from the paler sapwood.

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

7

Grain

The grain is straight or slightly interlocked.

Texture

This species is reported to have a moderately coarse texture.

Natural Durability

It is not resistant to any kind of insect or wood-borer attack nor to wood-staining fungi.

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

5

Resistance To Impregnation

This timber can be impregnated fairly easily.

Wood Physical Properties

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

0.50

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

0.54

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

7.6

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

3.6

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Air seasoning is good.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

JP-24

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

2.1

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

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

791

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

109066

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

392

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

109

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

382

Workability

Sawing

The wood is relatively easy to saw both in green and in air-dry condition.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

The production of rotary veneer is satisfactory, but the production of good-quality plywood is doubtful.

Sliced Veneer

The production of rotary veneer is satisfactory, but the production of good-quality plywood is doubtful.

Machining

The wood is relatively easy to machine both in green and air-dry condition.

Planing

The wood can be planed well and gives a smooth surface.

Boring

Boring gives a rough finish.

Finishing

This species gives a smooth finishing.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, shutter boards, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, shoes, matches, moldings

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Shutter Boards
  • 20 - Prospect: The wood database
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Cabinet
  • 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Packing
  • 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
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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