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MERTAS (Ctenolophon parvifolius)
Trade Name
Mertas
Scientific Name
Ctenolophon parvifolius Oliv.
Family
LINACEAE
Common Names
Kayu bawang (Indonesia); Adau (Brunei Darussalam); Besi-besi (Sabah); Kalek bung cung (Indonesia); Latak manuk (Indonesia); Mertas (Malaysia); Ctenolophon (Papua New Guinea); Sudiang (Philippines); Litoh (Sarawak)
Scientific Name Synonyms
Ctenolophon philippinensis Merr.; Ctenolophon grandifolius Oliv.
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a tree up to 35 m tall, 40 cm in diameter, although other reports indicate up to 120 cm. The buttresses are steep and sharp.
Natural Habitat
It is found in mixed dipterocarp forests and kerangas peat swamp and swamp forests, up to 850 m of altitude.
Natural Distribution
It is distributed in Malaya and Borneo. In Sabah, it can be found in West Coast to Sandakan Peninsular and Mt. Silam.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Occasionally tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Vessels per mm2 more than 20 (very abundant). Vascular/vasicentric tracheides present. Multiple perforat Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Occasionally apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Occasionally paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Occasionally axial parenchyma aliform. Axi Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Occasionally larger rays more than 4 seriate. Prismatic crystals in radial alignment in procumbent ray cells (chambered cells). Body ray cells procumbent with over 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-I). Fibers very thick walled. Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood varies from brown to purple-gray-brown, indistinctly to distinctly demarcated from the pale red sapwood.
Grain
The grain is straight or interlocked, sometimes wavy.
Texture
The texture is moderately fine and even.
Luster
The surface of the wood is naturally lustrous.
Natural Durability
The wood is durable when exposed to the weather and in contact with the ground. In Malaysia, however, it is reported to be only moderately durable.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
4
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.76
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.86
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
9.1
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
6.0
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.5
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1345
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
179174
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
683
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
164
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
928
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
1106
Workability
Machining
It is difficult because of its hardness.
Response To Hand Tools
It is difficult because of its hardness.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
EXTERIOR GENERAL, bridges, poles, stakes posts, HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, flooring, parquet, frames, steps, TOOLS, tool handles, PACKING, pallets, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boats
Exterior General
- 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
Bridges
- 2 - 25 madeiras da amazonia de valor comercial, caracterizacao, macroscopica, usos comuns e indices qualificativos
Poles
- 3 - Estudo dendrologico e determinacao das caracteristicas fisicas e mecanicas do genipapo (Genipa americana)
Stake Posts
- 5 - Propriedades fisicas e mecanicas da madeira e do contraplacado de Pinus elliottii
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Joists
- 12 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part I-Tropical American Species
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Parquet
- 15 - Empire Timbers
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Tool Handles
- 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
Packing
- 45 - Recopilación y Análisis de Estudios Tecnológicos de Maderas Peruanas
Pallets
- 48 - The strength properties of timbers
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
Boats
- 56 - Manual de Identificación de Especies Forestales de la Subregión Andina.
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