BITIS (Madhuca utilis)
Trade Name
Bitis
Scientific Name
Madhuca utilis (Ridley) H.J. Lam ex K. Heyne
Family
Sapotaceae
Common Names
Bitis; Masang (Thailand); Mahua (India); Maloba (Philippines); Bitis (Malaysia); Betis (Philippines)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Payena utilis Ridley; Madhuca st6enophylla H.J. Lam; Isonandra utilis (Ridley) Baehni
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a large tree up to 50 m tall, with boles up to 100 cm in diameter and buttresses up to 2 m high.
Natural Habitat
This species is common in lowland primary forests, it is also found in swampy forests.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less (very small). Tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 more than 20 (very abundant). Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Helical thickenings in vessel elements present. Vessel-ray pit Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wide. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.
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Wood Macro Photo Radial Plane
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Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
Freshly felled wood often has a sour smell and a bitter taste.
Color
The sapwood is distinct, the heartwood varies from reddish brown to red-chocolate brown.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
4
Grain
It is straight, very rarely interlocked.
Texture
Texture is reported to be moderately fine.
Luster
The heartwood is slightly lustrous.
Natural Durability
Despite it is rated as durable, it shows rather low resistance to marine borers.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
2
Resistance To Impregnation
The heartwood is very resistant to preservative treatment. The sapwood is moderately permeable.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.87
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
1.01
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
6.1
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
5.0
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: This species dries usually fairly rapidly. Air seasoning of 15 mm thick boards takes 2 to 2.5 months. Drying Defects: Risk of large distortion and significant surface checks are reported if it is dried too fast. Kiln Schedules: 25 mm thick boards can be kiln dried from 50% to 10% moisture content in 6 to 7 days.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-E
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.2
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1742
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
242522
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
917
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
121
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
157
Workability
Sawing
Sawing of this species is reported to be rather difficult, there is a great variation within the species.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
It is not suitable for veneer and plywood because its density.
Sliced Veneer
It is not suitable for veneer and plywood because its density.
Blunting Effect
It blunts the saws and cutters quickly.
Machining
Special cutters are required.
Boring
This species is easy to bore.
Nailing
Pre-bore is required.
Gluing
Gluing of this species is easy.
Finishing
It finishes well.
Polishing
It is easy to polish.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
EXTERIOR GENERAL, crossties, HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, common furniture, SPORTS, TOOLS, tool handles, agricultural tools, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION
Exterior General
- 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
Crossties
- 8 - Maderas latinoamericas. III, Podocarpus standleyi ,Podocarpus oleifolius, Drims granadensis, Magnolia poasana y Didymopanax pittieri
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Common
- 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Sports
- 38 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
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
Truck Body
- 53 - Timbers of the New World
Truck Flooring
- 54 - Bulletin of the Government Forest Experiment Station N.157: Identification of Tropical Woods
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
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