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ZEMBILI (Ganophyllum giganteum)
Trade Name
Zembili
Scientific Name
Ganophyllum giganteum Haum.
Family
SAPINDACEAE
Common Names
Okam (Gabon); Engak (Gabon); Zembili (Congo); N'zekpe (Central African Republic); Mokenjo (Cameroon); Zembili
Scientific Name Synonyms
Pseudospondias gigantea A. Chev.; Ganophyllum africanum Mildbr.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 35 to 40 m. The bole is generally straight, and may be 20 to 24 m in length. The trunk diameter attains 100 to 130 cm.
Natural Habitat
Ganophyllum giganteum occurs in dense closed forests.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 to 150 micras (small). Non-vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 10 to 20 (abundant). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel Occasionally axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Occasionally axial parenchyma confluent. Occasionally prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Rays non-storied. Rays exclusively uniseriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Septate fibers present. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is pale yellow or pink, it is not demarcated.
Grain
Straight or slightly interlocked; grain has no particular influence on drying, machining and finishing qualities.
Texture
This wood has a somewhat fine texture.
Natural Durability
Slightly durable to decay. This species needs preservative treatment for uses with risks of occasional re-humidification. It is not suited for uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Resistant to termites attack.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
6
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.76
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.86
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
11.2
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.1
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.6
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1306
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
210800
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
678
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
93
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
115
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
926
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
984
Workability
Sawing
Sawing of this species requires powerful equipment.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Not suitable for veneering.
Sliced Veneer
Not suitable for veneering.
Blunting Effect
Moderate blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are advised.
Machining
It needs powerful tools for processing. Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.
Planing
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Moulding
Easy; no particular problems.
Turning
30
Boring
Easy; no particular problems.
Mortising
Easy; no particular problems.
Nailing
Pre-boring is necessary.
Gluing
Difficult to glue because of high density.
Sanding
Easy to perform; it gives good results.
Polishing
Can be polished without surface preparation.
Response To Hand Tools
Working with hand tools is difficult.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, beams, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, shutter boards, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, common furniture, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, cutlery, lasts, TOOLS, tool handles, agricultural tools, CONTAINERS, cooperage, truck bodies, truck flooring, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, cigar boxes, shoes, scale model
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
- 19 - 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.
Furniture, Common
- 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Ornaments
- 31 - Embassy of Colombia in Japan
Turned Articles
- 32 - Embassy of Cote d`Ivoire in Japan
Knife Handles
- 33 - Embassy of Gabon in Japan
Lasts
- 34 - Embassy of Indonesia in Japan
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Tool Handles
- 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
Agricultural Tools
- 44 - Atlas of Peruvian Woods
Cooperage
- 51 - Recopilacion de propiedades mecanicas de maderas creciendo en Chile
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.)
Cigar Box
- 68 - Contribucion al conocimiento de la resistencia mecanica de la madera de peumo
Shoes
- 70 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux de l`union francaise
Scale Models
- 83 - Algunas caracteristicas fisicomecanicas de la madera de tres especies de la cordillera NeoVolcanica
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