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Kikensi
Ocotea usambarensis Engl.
LAURACEAE
East African Camphorwood (United Kingdom); Kikensi (Zaire); Mkulo (Tanzania); Muziti (Kenya); Muura (Kenya)
The tree reaches a height of 40 to 43 m. The bole is fluted and has good form to 8 m in length. The trunk diameter attains from 170 to 200 cm.
Ocotea usambarensis occurs in mountain rain forests, up to 2,000 m of altitude.
Eastern Africa.
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 to 150 micras (small). Tyloses thin walled. Non-vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 6 to 10 (medium). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits coarse Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Non-crystals in axial parenchyma cells. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays commonly 2 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Oil and/or mucilage cells at marginal cells of ray parenchyma. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows o Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Unrestricted
Pleasant odor of camphor.
The sapwood is paler than the heartwood. The heartwood is pale yellow-brown when freshly cut, darkening to a deep brown on exposure, it is not clearly demarcated.
Straight or highly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.
Texture is mostly fine to medium.
Moderately durable to decay. Without preservative treatment, this species can be used only under risk of occasional re-humidification. It is not suited for uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Sensible to termites attack. The heart
3
Nearly impossible to treat with a too much low penetration of the preservative substances.
0.54
0.59
Ease of Drying: Moderately difficult to dry.
850
101085
505
It is easy to saw.
Suitable for slicing, also suitable for peeling if treated.
Suitable for slicing, also suitable for peeling if treated.
Slight blunting effect; ordinary tools can be used for sawing and machining.
Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
No particular problem.
Glues well if basic gluing technical rules are followed.
Difficult to obtain very good results because of interlocked grain.
Can be polished without surface preparation.
No particular problems.
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