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KEMUNING (Murraya paniculata)
Trade Name
Kemuning
Scientific Name
Murraya paniculata (L.) Jacq.
Family
RUTACEAE
Common Names
Burmese boxwood; Kaeo (Thailand); Banasi (Philippines); Yuzana (Myanmar); Keo (Laos); Tala kaeo (Thailand); Kemuning (Malaysia); Kamuning (Philippines); Mock orange; Orange jasmine; Kemuning (Indonesia); Kayu gading (Indonesia)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Murrayaodorata Blanco; Murraya sumatrana Roxb; Murraya paniculata var. omphalocarpa Tanaka; Murraya omphalocarpa Hayata; Murraya exotica L.; Chalcas paniculata L.; Chalcas exotica (L.) Millsp.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a small to medium-sized tree up to 20 m tall and 25 cm in diameter.
Natural Habitat
Murraya paniculata is found in evergreen, lowland and hill rain forests, usually on rocky soils or limestone, up to 600 m of altitude.
Plantations Available?
This species is frequently cultivated within its region of origin.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less. Colored deposits in heartwood vessels. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape. Intervessel pits Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Occasionally apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/o 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Occasionally body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Septate fibers present. Fibers very thick walled. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is grayish-brown or dark yellow with dark olive or black shades, sharply demarcated form the pale yellow or buff-colored sapwood.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
6
Grain
The grain is straight, but curly or wavy at base of trunk.
Texture
This wood has a very fine texture.
Luster
It is reported to be moderate in luster.
Natural Durability
The heartwood is resistant to dry-wood termites. It is considered as durable to very durable.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
2
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.92
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
1.07
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Air seasoning is reported to be very good but rather slow. Boards of 1 cm thick take 15 days to air dry from 40% to 15% moisture content. Kiln Schedules: Boards of 2.5 cm thick can be kiln dried from 40% to 10% moisture content in 5-6 days at a drying temperature of 60 to 80 degrees, and a corresponding relative humidity of 80% to 40%.
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1080
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
122840
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
754
Workability
Sawing
Sawing of this species is easy.
Machining
The response of this species to machining operations is good to fair.
Response To Hand Tools
This species is not easy to work with hand tools.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
FURNITURE AND CABINETS, TOOLS, tool handles, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts
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.
Tool Handles
- 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
Other & Musical Instruments
- 63 - Madeiras do Brazil II
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
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