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STERCULIA (Sterculia macrophylla)
Trade Name
Sterculia
Scientific Name
Sterculia macrophylla Vent.
Family
STERCULIACEAE
Common Names
Kelumpang (Indonesia); Balinad (Philippines); Tapinag (Philippines); Pelajau (Sarawak); Tangkoranjoh (Sabah); Kelumpang (Malaysia); Hantap heulang (Indonesia); Kletraet (Thailand)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Sterculia parkinsonii F.v. Mueller; Sterculia pachyclados K. Schumann; Sterculia oncinocarpa F.v. Mueller & Forbes; Sterculia crassiramea Merr.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a medium-sized to fairly large deciduous tree up to 40 m tall, with boles up to 65 cm in diameter. The buttresses are large, up to 3 m high and 3 m wide.
Natural Habitat
Sterculia macrophylla is common in primary and secondary forests, often mixed in dipterocarp forests or sometimes in swamp forests, up to 900 m of altitude.
Natural Distribution
It is distributed in Malaysia, Java and Borneo.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). 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. Axial parenchyma stor Rays less than 4 per mm (rare). Rays of two distinct sizes. Ray height more than 1 mm. Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Sheath cells. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Fibers very thin walled. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits. Fibers storied.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
It has no distinctive odor or taste.
Color
The heartwood is straw-colored, grayish-white to sometimes pale brown or pale pinkish-brown, and not distinctly demarcated from the paler sapwood.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
6
Grain
The grain is straight to shallowly interlocked.
Texture
The wood is reported to have a coarse texture.
Natural Durability
The wood is rated as non-durable in contact with the ground or exposed to the weather. It is easily attacked by pinhole borers, powder-post beetles, termites and marine borers.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Resistance To Impregnation
It is easy to moderately difficult to treat with preservatives. The heartwood is impermeable due to tyloses.
Wood Physical Properties
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.35
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
8.0
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.5
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
JP-26
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
2.3
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
550
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
74591
Workability
Sawing
Wood of this species is easy to cut.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
This species can be used for lamination.
Sliced Veneer
This species can be used for lamination.
Machining
Machining of this species is reported to be easy to fair.
Planing
Planing operations are rather easy, but a cutting angle of 20 degrees is recommended to reduce tearing.
Moulding
It is a brittle wood, it is not recommended for molding.
Boring
Boring operations are rather difficult.
Mortising
Mortising operations are rather difficult.
Nailing
The wood is brittle and the nail holding properties are poor.
Gluing
Gluing behavior is satisfactory.
Sanding
Wood of this species is easy to sand.
Staining
It has a good staining.
Polishing
It requires filler.
Steam Bending
This species is difficult to bend.
Response To Hand Tools
Response to hand tools is reported to be good, but it often gives woolly surfaces.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, shutter boards, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, shoes
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Shutter Boards
- 20 - Prospect: The wood database
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
Shoes
- 70 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux de l`union francaise
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