MEDANG (Litsea elliptica)
Trade Name
Medang
Scientific Name
Litsea elliptica Blume
Family
LAURACEAE
Common Names
Thammang (Thailand); Batikuling-surutan (Philippines); Medang tandok (Malaysia); Medang perawas (Malaysia); Gogisoro (Indonesia); Prawas (Indonesia); Trawas (Indonesia); Modang (Indonesia); Madang (Indonesia); Kuru (Indonesia); Batikuling (Philippines); Beloi (Vietnam); Beloi (Cambodia)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Litsea petiolata Hook.f.; Litsea odorifera Valeton; Litsea nigricans (Meissn.) Boerl.; Litsea clarissae (Teschner) Kosterm..
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It can reach up to 45 meters tall, with straight and cylindrical boles which are 75 cm in diameter in the average. It presents short buttresses up to 1 meter high.
Natural Habitat
Litsea elliptica is widely distributed, occurring in primary and secondary lowland forests, up to 800 m of altitude.
Plantations Available?
This species is probably occasionally planted in Java.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Vessels in diagonal and/or radial pattern. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 to 200 micras. Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits m Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma aliform. Oil and/or mucilage cells in axial parenchyma (idioblasts). 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits. Septate fibers present. 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
Odor
It is reported to have a characteristic odor.
Color
The heartwood is variable in color ranging from pale olive brown or creamy yellow to dark greenish brown.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
4
Grain
The grain is interlocked.
Texture
Texture is usually moderately fine and even.
Natural Durability
This wood is rated as moderately durable.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
3
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.40
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.43
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Timber of this species air dries without serious degrade. In Malaysia, boards 15 mm thick are reported to require 2 to 3 months to reach air-dry condition. Drying Defects: Slight end-splitting, bowing and cupping may also occur.
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
536
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
33
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
145
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
211
Workability
Sawing
Sawmilling of this species is reportedly easy to slightly difficult.
Planing
Planing operations are rather easy.
Nailing
This species is reported to have a good nailing behavior.
Finishing
The behavior in finishing is good to fair.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, TOOLS, PACKING, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, scale model
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Scale Models
- 83 - Algunas caracteristicas fisicomecanicas de la madera de tres especies de la cordillera NeoVolcanica
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