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New Guinea beech
Nothofagus spp.
FAGACEAE
New Guinea beech (United Kingdom); Southern beech (United States of America); Southern beech (United Kingdom); New Guinea beech (United States of America); Pemmem (Indonesia); Snokko (Indonesia); Diri (Indonesia); Antartic beech (United Kingdom); Antartic beech (United States of America)
It is a medium-sized to large, evergreen tree up to 50 m tall. The bole is straight, cylindrical and up to 150 cm in diameter, sometimes with short buttresses or spurred.
Nothofagus species are dominant or co-dominant in the canopy of primary or old secondary montane forests in a range between 1,000 to 3,100 m of altitude.
It is distributed in Southernmost part of Victoria and reaching over to Tasmania (Australia) and extending to New Zealand with principal production resources in the west Coast and Southland regions of South Island.
Wood diffuse porous. Tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 5 to 20. Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits medium, 7 to 10 micras. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and/or diffuse in aggregates. Prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Axial parenchyma bands more than 3 cells wide. Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Body ray cells procumbent with over 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-I). Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Unrestricted
It has no taste or odor.
The sapwood is creamy-yellow, clearly demarcated. The heartwood is brown to pinkish-brown.
6
The grain is mainly straight, rarely slightly wavy.
Fine texture is reported in this species.
The wood surface is lustrous.
This species is considered as durable to moderately durable.
4
Silica Content: It is non-siliceous. Silica Value: 0
The sapwood is permeable, the heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment.
0.60
0.66
5.7
3.1
Ease of Drying: Drying is reported to be rapid. It takes 2.5 months to dry 15 mm thick boards to air-dry condition. Drying Defects: This species is prone to warp and end checking. Kiln Schedules: The stock should be properly weighted down to reduce warping, and end-coating should be applied before kilning to reduce end splits.
UK-C; US-T3-C2; JP-38
1.8
1074
144840
552
189
610
Cutting resistance is generally low.
Lamination of this species is possible.
Lamination of this species is possible.
Machining operations are rather easy.
It is easy to mold.
30
Pre-boring is required.
It is reported to be easy to glue.
Polishing of this species is reportedly easy.
This species is reported to be easy to work with hand tools.
EXTERIOR GENERAL, bridges, crossties, HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, frames, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, TURNING, TOOLS, tool handles, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts
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