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NAGA (Brachystegia leonensis)
Trade Name
Naga
Scientific Name
Brachystegia leonensis Burt.,Davy et Hutch.
Family
LEGUMINOSAE
Common Names
Bodgei (Sierra Leone); Okwen (United Kingdom); Mendou (Gabon); Ekop-naga (Cameroon); Okwen (Nigeria); Meblo (Côte d`Ivoire); Tebako (Liberia); Naga
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 40 m. The bole is straight, massive, and cylindrical. The trunk diameter attains up to 150 cm.
Natural Habitat
Brachystegia leonensis prefers rain forests, it is generally gregarious.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits in size and s Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Axial parenchyma lozenge-aliform. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 3 to 4 cells per parenchyma strand. Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Rays and/or axial elements irregularly storied. Rays exclusively uniseriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The sapwood is white to yellowish white, it has a thickness of 15 cm. The heartwood is pale brown to copper brown, it is clearly demarcated. The silver figure is fine (barely visible).
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
It has highly interlocked grain; special care is needed when drying because of frequent risks of distortion.
Texture
This species is usually reported to have a medium texture.
Luster
The wood luster is reported to be rather low.
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.
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)
0.48
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.53
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.1
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.6
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: The wood is difficult to season. Drying Defects: Warping, splitting and surface-checking are recorded. Kiln Schedules: Kiln drying at low temperatures is possible.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-6
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.5
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
961
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
122142
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
502
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
62
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
78
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
338
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
441
Workability
Sawing
It is easy to saw.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Suitable for slicing, also suitable for peeling if treated.
Sliced Veneer
Suitable for slicing, also suitable for peeling if treated.
Blunting Effect
Slight blunting effect; ordinary tools can be used for sawing and machining.
Machining
Machining of this species is reportedly easy.
Planing
Easy; no particular problems.
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
No particular problem.
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
No particular problems.
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, faces, Decorative veneer, TURNING, ornaments, turned furniture, 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
Faces
- 26 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
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
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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