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MEPEPE (Albizia sassa)

Trade Name

Mepepe

Scientific Name

Albizia sassa (Willd.) J.F. Macbr.

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

Bangbaye (Côte d`Ivoire); West African Albizia (United Kingdom); Mushebele (Zaire); Kasa-kasa (Zaire); Saliémo (Cameroon); Omulera (Uganda); Omulera (Tanzania); Omulera (Kenya); Omulera (Ethiopia); Mepepe (Mozambique); Muanza (Angola); Mepepe

Scientific Name Synonyms

Sassa gummifera J.F. Gmel.; Mimosa sassa (Baillon ex Drake) Poir.; Albizia gummifera (J.F. Gmel.) C.A. Sm.; Inga sassa Willd.; Albizia sassa (Willd.) Chiov.; Albizia fastigiata (E. Mey.) Oliv.

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree may reach a height of 40 to 50 m with a trunk diameter of 100 cm. The bole is well shaped or asymmetrical with short buttresses.

Natural Habitat

Mostly trees of the primary forest are exploited, but it is also common in secondary forests. Found naturally at elevations up to 2,400 m.

Natural Distribution

Widely distributed throughout tropical Africa.

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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). Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma lozenge-aliform. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Septate fibers present. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is white or white-yellow, it has a thickness of 5 cm. The heartwood is golden-yellow or light-brown, sometimes with a greenish tinge, it is clearly demarcated.

Grain

Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.

Texture

This wood has a somewhat medium texture.

Luster

Timber of this species is low in luster.

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 sensible to Lyctus attacks.

Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)

5

Internal Growth Stresses

No growth stresses are reported in this species.

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)

0.53

Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)

0.58

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

FR-6

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)

1017

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

114077

Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

579

Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

75

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

414

Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)

518

Workability

Sawing

It is easy to saw.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Not suitable for veneering.

Sliced Veneer

Not suitable for veneering.

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

Can be polished without surface preparation.

Response To Hand Tools

No particular problems.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, boards, flooring, steps, panelling, fittings, shutter boards, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, common furniture, cabinets, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, cutlery, lasts, PACKING, heavy packing, pallets, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, door core, coffin

General Housing
  • 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
  • 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Joists
  • 12 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part I-Tropical American Species
Boards
  • 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Flooring
  • 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Steps
  • 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
  • 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
  • 19 - Silica in Timbers
Shutter Boards
  • 20 - Prospect: The wood database
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Common
  • 23 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Cabinet
  • 24 - Empire Timbers
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

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