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MUTENYE (Guibourtia arnoldiana)

Trade Name

Mutenye

Scientific Name

Guibourtia arnoldiana J.Leon.

Family

LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names

Tropical oliver (United Kingdom); Benzi (Congo); M'penze (Angola); Tropical oliver; Oliver walnut; Ntene; Non-eyen; M`benge; Libenge; Kouan; Kerazingo; Essingang; Bubinga; Olive walnut (United Kingdom); M`penze (Angola); Mbenge (Zaire); Mutenye (Zaire); Benge (Zaire)

Scientific Name Synonyms

Copaifera arnoldiana Th. & H. Dur.; Copaiba arnoldiana De Wild. & T. Durand; Copaiba arnoldiana De Wild. & Th. Dur.

Description Of The Tree

Botanical Description

The tree reaches a height of 50 m. The bole is generally low buttressed, and occasionally fluted, up to 20 m in length. The trunk diameter attains about 120 to 150 cm.

Natural Habitat

Guibourtia arnoldiana occurs in evergreen and deciduous forests.

Wood Identification

Anatomic Description Of Wood

Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 to 150 micras (small). Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 10 to 20 (abundant). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma lozenge-aliform. Axial parenchyma aliform. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 5 to 8 ce 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Larger rays more than 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.

  • Wood Macro Photo Tangential Plane
  • Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section

Availability

Cites Status

Unrestricted

General Wood Description

Color

The sapwood is greyish white, it has a thickness of 5 to 8 cm. The heartwood is yellowish brown to brown, with dark striping or reddish tinge, it is clearly demarcated. The silver figure is fine.

COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)

3

Grain

Straight or slightly interlocked, sometimes with an influence on further processing operations.

Texture

Texture is usually fine to medium.

Luster

The wood surface is described as low in luster.

Natural Durability

Moderately durable to decay. Without preservative treatment, this species can be used only under risk of occasional re-humidification. It is not suited for uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Moderately resistant to termites attack

Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)

3

Internal Growth Stresses

Residual stresses are reported to be absent.

Silica Content

Silica Content: It is reported to have a negligible amount of silica. Contents over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0.01

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)

0.70

Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)

0.79

Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

8.7

Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)

5.0

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying: Drying is rather slow and sometimes difficult to perform. Drying Defects: Risks of distortions. Kiln Schedules: Schedule proposed as a reference by comparison with well known species taking into account to the general technological behavior of this species.

Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule

FR-9

Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)

1.7

Wood Chemical Properties

Wood Mechanical Properties

Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)

1409

Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

216585

Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

810

Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

118

Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)

98

Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)

779

Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)

857

Workability

Sawing

Sawing of this species requires powerful equipment.

Rotary Veneer Cutting

Suitable for slicing.

Sliced Veneer

Suitable for slicing.

Blunting Effect

Moderate blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are advised.

Machining

It needs powerful tools for processing. Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.

Planing

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Moulding

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Turning

30

Boring

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Mortising

Moderately easy; tools must be cautiously sharpened.

Nailing

Pre-boring is necessary.

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.

Steam Bending

This species can be used for steam bending.

Response To Hand Tools

Working with hand tools is difficult.

REFERENCED USES

End Uses Summary

HOUSING GENERAL, beams, joists, boards, flooring, parquet, frames, steps, panelling, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, Decorative veneer, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, cutlery, lasts, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts

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
Parquet
  • 15 - Empire Timbers
Frames
  • 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
  • 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
  • 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Fittings
  • 19 - Silica in Timbers
Furniture Cabinets
  • 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Luxury
  • 22 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section IV-Asian and Oceanian Woods
Cabinet
  • 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
  • 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Decorative veneer
  • 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
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
Handcraft
  • 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)

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