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SIMPOH (Dillenia philippinensis)
Trade Name
Simpoh
Scientific Name
Dillenia philippinensis Rolfe
Family
DILLENIACEAE
Common Names
Katmon-buhukan (Philippines); Katmon (Philippines)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Dillenia catmon Elmer
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree up to 17 m tall, usually with short bole up to 60 cm in diameter.
Natural Habitat
An evergreen tree which occurs in primary and secondary forests throughout the Philippines at low and medium altitude, rarely up to 2,000 m.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Colored deposits in heartwood vessels. Occasionally tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Intervessel pits scalariform. Vessel-ray p Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Rays less than 4 per mm (rare). Rays of two distinct sizes. Ray height more than 1 mm. Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is red-brown to dark reddish-brown, sometimes with a purplish tinge, and usually not demarcated from the slightly paler sapwood.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
3
Grain
The grain is straight or, more usually, interlocked.
Texture
The texture is moderately coarse and even.
Natural Durability
The wood is susceptible to dry-wood termites, blue stain and decay fungi.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
4
Silica Content
Silica Content: It contains 0.1% silica.
Resistance To Impregnation
It can be readily impregnated with preservative substances.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.63
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.70
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.0
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.6
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: The wood dries fairly slowly. Boards 15 mm thick take 2.5 to 4 months to air dry from green to 15% moisture content. Drying Defects: Slight bowing and staining are reported. Kiln Schedules: Schedule recommended for Litsea.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-C
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.9
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
418
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
122
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
143
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
666
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
900
Workability
Sawing
Sawdust can block the blades.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
It possible to produce decorative sliced veneer.
Sliced Veneer
It possible to produce decorative sliced veneer.
Machining
Machining operations are rather easy.
Planing
Planing of this species is reported to be easy.
Boring
Boring operations are easy to fair.
Mortising
Mortising operations are rated as fair.
Nailing
It needs pre-bore for nails, but it screws well. The nail holding properties are poor.
Gluing
It is reported to be easy to glue.
Finishing
The response of this species in finishing is fair.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, frames, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, cabinets
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Cabinet
- 24 - Empire Timbers
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