CORDIA D`AFRIQUE (Cordia africana)
Trade Name
Cordia d`Afrique
Scientific Name
Cordia africana Lam.
Family
BORAGINACEAE
Common Names
Omo (Nigeria); Bon (Côte d`Ivoire); African Cordia (United Kingdom); African Cordia (Germany); Sumba (Zaire); Ebe (Gabon); Ebais (Gabon); Ebe (Cameroon); Ebais (Cameroon); Mukebu (Uganda); Mukumari (Kenya); Mugoma (Kenya)
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 15 to 20 m. The bole is often crooked or curved. The trunk diameter attains 90 cm.
Natural Habitat
Cordia africana is reported in semi-tropical rain forest on the highlands, in moist and warm climate between 1,200 and 1,800 m of altitude, and in open semi-dry savanna.
Plantations Available?
Often planted near villages.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Tyloses common. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Intervessel pits medium, 7 to 10 micras. Axial parenchyma apparent with the naked eye. Axial parenchyma in thick bands. Prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells. Occasionally larger rays width 0. 1 mm or more and 2 mm or more in height. Heterogeneous rays and/or multiseriate heterogeneous rays. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Sheath cells.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is from pale golden brown to brown, occasionally pinkish brown, it is sometimes not clearly demarcated. The silver figure is medium.
Grain
Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.
Texture
The wood is reported to have a coarse texture.
Luster
The wood is described as moderate in luster.
Natural Durability
Durable to decay; this species can be utilized without preservative treatment for exterior joinery or similar uses. Resistant to termites attack. Heartwood is resistant to Lyctus attacks.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
1
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)
0.39
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.41
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.8
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.6
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Giam timber air dries slowly, often with slight end and sueface cheeks, and splits. Drying Defects: Boards of 15mm thick take about 6 months to air-dry. Kiln Schedules: kiln-drying characternstics have not been assessed but in Malaysia kiln schedule B is recommended.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-5
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.3
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
744
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
72349
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
285
Workability
Sawing
It is easy to saw.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Suitable for slicing.
Sliced Veneer
Suitable for slicing.
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
Easy; no particular problems.
Turning
30
Boring
Easy; no particular problems.
Mortising
Easy; no particular problems.
Nailing
No particular problem.
Gluing
Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.
Sanding
Easy to perform; it gives good results.
Polishing
Needs pre-coating.
Response To Hand Tools
No particular problems.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, Decorative veneer, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Boards
- 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
- 19 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Luxury
- 22 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section IV-Asian and Oceanian Woods
Cabinet
- 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Decorative veneer
- 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Ornaments
- 31 - Embassy of Colombia in Japan
Turned Articles
- 32 - Embassy of Cote d`Ivoire in Japan
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