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MERPAUH (Swintonia spicifera)
Trade Name
Merpauh
Scientific Name
Swintonia spicifera Hook.f.
Family
ANACARDIACEAE
Common Names
Merpauh daun tebal (Malaysia); Kerete (Indonesia); Rengas kilat senja (Malaysia); Mupus (Malaysia); Muom (Cambodia); Thayet-kin (India); Civit (Pakistan); Muom (Vietnam); Civit taungthayet (Myanmar); Taung thayet (Myanmar); Merpau (Malaysia)
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a medium-sized to fairly large tree up to 36 m tall. The bole is up to 80 cm in diameter. The buttresses are rather tall, occasionally 4 m high.
Natural Habitat
Swintonia spicifera is found in lowland and hill forests, sometimes growing gregariously on ridges up to 500 m of altitude.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Wood diffuse porous. Tyloses common. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits large, 10 micras or more. Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Axial parenchyma reticulate. Axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wide. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays exclusively uniseriate. Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent).
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The sapwood is almost indistinguishable. The heartwood occasionally turns reddish brown.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
It is mostly straight, occasionally wavy.
Texture
It is moderately coarse but uniform.
Natural Durability
It is perishable and susceptible to blue stain.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Internal Growth Stresses
Residual stresses present in the wood may cause defects while processing the timber.
Silica Content
Silica Content: It is reported to have silica. Contents over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0
Resistance To Impregnation
It has a good absorption of preservative substances.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.67
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.75
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
1.8
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
0.9
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Drying is fairly easy; some difficulties could occur when drying too fast. Drying Defects: Risks of collapse. Kiln Schedules: The kiln schedule has been tested.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-C
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
2.0
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1099
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
184220
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
578
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
137
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
613
Workability
Sawing
Wood of this species is easy to cut unless tension wood is present.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
This species can be used for lamination.
Sliced Veneer
This species can be used for lamination.
Blunting Effect
It has a severe blunting effect on the cutting tools. The wood jams the saw-blades.
Machining
Machining of this species is reported to be easy.
Planing
It is easy to plane.
Boring
Boring operations are rather difficult.
Nailing
Nailing properties of this wood are reported as good to fair.
Gluing
It is reported to be easy to glue.
Finishing
This species is reported to give good to moderate results in finishing.
Steam Bending
Steam bending of this species is reportedly easy.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boat hulls, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, matches
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
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.
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boat Hulls
- 57 - Estadísticas de Aprovechamiento, Exportación y comercialización Nacional de Productos Forestales
Matches
- 71 - Proprietes physiques et mecaniques des bois tropicaux, premier supplement
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