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.
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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