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AKPA (Tetrapleura tetraptera)
Trade Name
Akpa
Scientific Name
Tetrapleura tetraptera Taub.
Family
LEGUMINOSAE
Common Names
ighimiakia (Nigeria); Aridan (Nigeria); Esehese (Côte d`Ivoire); Nkouarsa (Gabon); Ezibil (Congo); Badiok (Congo); Angulu (Central African Republic); Kpwa (Cameroon); Essesé (Cameroon); Djaga (Cameroon); Akpa (Cameroon); Prekese; Ossgosha; Kyeke; Kokundui; Kokondu; Ka-segbel; Ka-loma; Imiminje; Ikoho; Ikhememi; Igmikkia; Ighirehimi; Ighimiakia; Esem; Edeminang; Ebuk; Buleu; Budjo; Bubao; Arido; Aridan; Aprekese; Apapa; Angular pod; Akposso; Akpa
Scientific Name Synonyms
Tetrapleura thonningii Benth.; Adenanthera tetraptera Schum. & Thonn.; Adenanthera tetraptera Schumach. & Thonn.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 30 m. The bole may be up to 10 to 16 m in length, with small and sharp buttresses. The trunk diameter attains 100 cm.
Natural Habitat
Tetrapleura tetraptera occurs in secondary, mixed and fringing forests.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. Two cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The sapwood is white or grey, it has a thickness of 5 cm. The heartwood is pale red, darkening to a yellow-red or brown color, it is clearly demarcated.
Grain
Straight; grain has no particular influence on drying, machining and finishing qualities.
Texture
The texture of the wood is fine.
Natural Durability
Moderately resistant to termites attack. The heartwood is sensible to Lyctus attacks.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
4
Resistance To Impregnation
Difficult to treat with only a low penetration of the preservative products.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.56
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.61
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Drying is easy; it can be performed without any problem. Drying Defects: No particular risks of drying defects, subject to normal drying conditions. Kiln Schedules: The kiln schedule has been tested.
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
842
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
511
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
64
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
459
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
563
Workability
Sawing
It is easy to saw.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Not suitable for veneering.
Sliced Veneer
Not suitable for veneering.
Blunting Effect
Slight blunting effect; ordinary tools can be used for sawing and machining.
Machining
Machining of this species is reportedly easy.
Planing
Easy; no particular problems.
Moulding
Rather difficult; special tools are needed.
Turning
30
Boring
Rather difficult; special tools are needed.
Mortising
Rather difficult; special tools are needed.
Nailing
No particular problem.
Gluing
Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.
Sanding
Easy to perform; it gives good results.
Polishing
Can be polished without surface preparation.
Response To Hand Tools
No particular problems.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, cores, TURNING, TOOLS, agricultural tools, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boats, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Fittings
- 19 - Silica in Timbers
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
Cores
- 27 - Embassy of Brazil in Japan
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Agricultural Tools
- 44 - Atlas of Peruvian Woods
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boats
- 56 - Manual de Identificación de Especies Forestales de la Subregión Andina.
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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