KEKABU (Bombax valetonii)
Trade Name
Kekabu
Scientific Name
Bombax valetonii Hochr.
Family
BOMBACACEAE
Common Names
Dangdeur leuweung (Indonesia); Randu alas (Indonesia); Kabu-kabu (Indonesia); Ngui pa (Thailand); Kekabu hutan (Malaysia); Krai (Thailand); Nun pa (Thailand)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Salmalia valetonii (Hochr.) Corner; Gossampinus valetonii (Hochr.) Bakh.; Bombax larutensis Ridley
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a deciduous, small to large trees up to 35 m tall. The bole is straight, branchless for up to 20 m, up to 150 cm in diameter, with large buttresses, up to 6 m high, often fluted. The bole, or sometimes only the branches, are armed with woody knobs o
Natural Habitat
This species is found in primary and secondary forests close to the riverbanks, up to 750 m of altitude.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Occasionally tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits large, 10 micras or more. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Occasionally apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma storied. Occasionally two cells per pa 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Occasionally sheath cells. 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). Septate fibers present. Fibers very thin walled. Fibers with simple to minutely 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
Color
The heartwood is straw-colored, sharply differentiated from the white sapwood.
Grain
The grain is straight or slightly interlocked.
Texture
The texture is moderately coarse.
Natural Durability
The wood is non-durable, with an average service life of 0.9 years in a graveyard test in Peninsular Malaysia.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Resistance To Impregnation
This species is easy to treat with preservatives.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.29
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.31
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
5.2
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.7
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Air drying is good. It takes about 2,5 months to air dry boards of 13 mm thick, and about 3 months for boards of 3.8 mm thick. Drying Defects: It is susceptible to sap-stain and slight degrade in the form of twisting, cupping and bowing.
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.4
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
285
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
50644
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
214
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
20
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
31
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
109
Workability
Machining
It is easy to work in green as well as in seasoned condition.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, cores, TOOLS, PACKING, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, matches, moldings
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Cores
- 27 - Embassy of Brazil in Japan
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
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.)
Matches
- 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement
Molding
- 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão
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