MERSAWA (Anisoptera marginata)
Trade Name
Mersawa
Scientific Name
Anisoptera marginata Korth.
Family
Dipterocarpaceae
Common Names
Pangiran kerangas (Sabah); Mersawa paya (Malaysia); Ketimpun (Indonesia); Resak pantai (Indonesia); Mersawa tenam (Indonesia); Mersawa paya (Brunei Darussalam); Krabak (United States of America); Palosapis (Philippines); Mersawa (Netherlands); Pengiran (Sabah); Krabak (Spain); Krabak (Thailand); Pik (Thailand); Krabak (United Kingdom); Mersawa (Germany); Phdiek (Cambodia); Krabak (Germany); Venven (Vietnam); Kaunghmu (Myanmar); Mersawa (Malaysia); Mersawa (Papua New Guinea); Krabak (France); Krabak (Italy); Mersawa (Indonesia); Krabak (Netherlands)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Anisoptera grandiflora Brandis
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a medium-sized to large tree up to 45 m tall. The bole is branchless for 15-25 m and up to 135 cm in diameter, with buttresses up to 3 m high and spreading out up to 1.5 m.
Natural Habitat
Anisoptera is a species found in mixed peat-swamp forest and heath forest.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Tyloses common. Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Vascular/vasicentric tracheides present. Simple perforation plates. Intervessel Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma scalariform. Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Sheath cells. Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-II). Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Fibers with distinctly 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 from light yellow to pale orange yellow when fresh and often can only be distinguished by blue stain. The heartwood darkens to light golden brown.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
6
Grain
It is not always straight, occasional mild spiral growth.
Texture
The texture is medium coarse with tyloses.
Natural Durability
The natural durability varies from moderate to perishable. It is rapidly attacked if unprotected.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
6
Silica Content
Silica Content: This timber is reported to have a negligible silica content. Silica contents over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0.05
Resistance To Impregnation
It is resistant to preservative treatment.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.63
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.70
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
9.7
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.6
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Seasoning is reported as good. Drying Defects: Risk of slight checking or twisting.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
JP-2; UK-E
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
2.1
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
761
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
109043
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
414
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
72
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
226
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
250
Workability
Sawing
The cutting resistance can be reduced by using correct saw profiles and specially hardened saw teeth. Stellite tipped saws are necessary.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Peeling yields good quality veneer, although the veneer dries slowly and with slight buckling.
Sliced Veneer
Peeling yields good quality veneer, although the veneer dries slowly and with slight buckling.
Blunting Effect
It has a severe blunting effect on the cutting tools.
Machining
It is easy to work, but if the grain is interlocked sharp cutters are essential.
Planing
The planed surface is smooth when sharp tools are used.
Boring
Boring of this species is reported to be easy.
Nailing
This wood is easy to nail.
Gluing
The timber is reported to glue well.
Finishing
Finishing of this wood is easy.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, flooring, frames, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boat deck, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, coffin
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
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
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
Truck Body
- 53 - Timbers of the New World
Truck Flooring
- 54 - Bulletin of the Government Forest Experiment Station N.157: Identification of Tropical Woods
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boat Decking
- 59 - Programa Nacional de uso Sostenible de los Bosques e Incremento a las Exportaciones.
Coffin
- 78 - Amazonian Timbers for the International Market
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