MERAWAN (Hopea pierrei)
Trade Name
Merawan
Scientific Name
Hopea pierrei Hance
Family
DIPTEROCARPACEAE
Common Names
Ki[eef]n ki[eef]n (Vietnam); Khaen-hak-yong (Thailand); Takhian-sai (Thailand); Takhian-rak (Thailand); Kh`en hin (Laos); Khsach (Cambodia); Merawan palong (Malaysia); Koki khsach (Vietnam); Kien kien (Vietnam); Giam palong (Malaysia)
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a small to medium-sized tree of up to 25 m tall. The bole is often twisted and of poor shape, with a diameter of up to 50 cm and thin buttresses or stilt roots.
Natural Habitat
A relatively small dipterocarp, which is found mainly in lowland evergreen rain forest on sandy soils, and also in heath forest in parts of Indo-China.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Simple perforation plates. Occasionally multiple perforation plates. Intervessel pits medium, 7 to 10 micras. Intervessel pits large, Occasionally axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Occasionally axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wide. Occasionally axia 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Body ray cells procumbent with over 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-I). Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Body ray cells procumbent with o Occasionally 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
Color
The sapwood is light yellow and distinct from the usually yellowish-brown heartwood( sometimes olive-brown or reddish-brown). On exposure the heartwood darkens to dark brown.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
4
Grain
The grain is mostly interlocked.
Texture
Texture is reported to be moderately fine.
Natural Durability
Hopea is rated as moderately durable. It is resistant to decay, but it is attacked by marine borers.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
3
Resistance To Impregnation
The heartwood is untreatable.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.75
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.85
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
10.5
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.0
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-H
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
2.6
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1653
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
157000
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
695
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
184
Workability
Sawing
Wood of this species is easy to cut.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Veneer 1.5 mm thick can be made satisfactorily with a peeling angle of 91 degrees.
Sliced Veneer
Veneer 1.5 mm thick can be made satisfactorily with a peeling angle of 91 degrees.
Machining
Machining operations are rather easy.
Planing
Planing is reported to be easy.
Boring
Boring is reported to be easy.
Nailing
This wood is easy to nail.
Gluing
This species is easy to glue.
Finishing
Wood of this species is easy to finish.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, flooring, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, TOOLS, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boat fins
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
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Truck Body
- 53 - Timbers of the New World
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boat Fins
- 58 - Guía de Árboles de Bolivia
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