KONDROTI (Rhodognaphalon brevicuspe)
Trade Name
Kondroti
Scientific Name
Rhodognaphalon brevicuspe (Sprague) Roberty
Family
BOMBACACEAE
Common Names
Kondroti (Côte d`Ivoire); East African Bombax (United Kingdom); Ogumalanga (Gabon); N'demo (Congo); East africa bombax (United Kingdom); Mfume (Tanzania); Munguza (Mozambique); Meguza (Mozambique); N`demo (Congo); Alone (Gabon)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Bombax rhodognaphalon K. Schum.; Bombax chevalieri Pellegr.; Bombax brevicuspe Spreng.; Bombax brevicuspe Sprague
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 43 m. The bole is cylindrical, straight, and may be up to 26 m in length. The trunk diameter attains from 130 up to 200 cm.
Natural Habitat
Rhodognaphalon brevicuspe occurs in various forest types, particularly in secondary forests, also in savanna and dense rain forests.
Natural Distribution
West Africa and extending eastward into Tanzania.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Tyloses thin walled. Non-vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits coa Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Axial parenchyma storied. Prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Heterogeneous rays and/or multiseriate heterogeneous rays. Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
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Wood Macro Photo Tangential Plane
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Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The sapwood is whitish, it has a thickness of 10 cm. The heartwood is ochre-brown to pale purplish brown, with slightly darker veins, it is clearly demarcated. The silver figure is fine.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
4
Grain
Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.
Texture
This species is usually reported to have a coarse texture.
Luster
Luster is usually low.
Natural Durability
Not durable; important risks of decay attacks at any processing step, from logs up to final products. It must receive preservative treatment. Sensible to termites attack. Heartwood is resistant to Lyctus attacks.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Internal Growth Stresses
Residual stresses are reported to be absent.
Silica Content
Silica Content: Negligible contents of silica are found in timber of this species. Amounts over 0.05% may affect the wood processing. Silica Value: 0.01
Resistance To Impregnation
Easy to treat with a full penetration of the preservative products using vacuum-pressure method.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.43
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.46
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
8.2
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.3
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Drying is rather slow and sometimes difficult to perform. Drying Defects: Risks of checks and distortions. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed as a reference by comparison with well known species taking into account to the general technological behavior of this species.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-7
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.9
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
596
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
89280
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
358
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
40
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
50
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
260
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
358
Workability
Sawing
It is easy to saw.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Suitable for peeling without treatment.
Sliced Veneer
Suitable for peeling without treatment.
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
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Turning
30
Boring
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Mortising
Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.
Nailing
Easy to perform but low nails holding.
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, common furniture, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, faces, cores, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, cutlery, lasts, PACKING, heavy packing, pallets, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, door core, coffin, moldings, cementboard
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, Common
- 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Faces
- 26 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
Cores
- 27 - Embassy of Brazil in Japan
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Ornaments
- 31 - Embassy of Colombia in Japan
Turned Articles
- 32 - Embassy of Cote d`Ivoire in Japan
Knife Handles
- 33 - Embassy of Gabon in Japan
Lasts
- 34 - Embassy of Indonesia in Japan
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Heavy Packing
- 47 - Arvores Brasileiras
Pallets
- 48 - The strength properties of timbers
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Door Cores
- 76 - Descripción General y Anatómica de 105 Maderas del Grupo Andino.
Coffin
- 78 - Amazonian Timbers for the International Market
Molding
- 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão
Cementboard
- 81 - Madeiras da Amazônia: descrição do lenho de 40 espécies ocorrentes na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós
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