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NTéNé (Copaifera religiosa)
Trade Name
Nténé
Scientific Name
Copaifera religiosa J.Leon.
Family
LEGUMINOSAE
Common Names
Anzem (Gabon); Enuk (Equatorial Guinea); N'téné (Congo); Bengi (Zaire); N`tene (Congo); Anzem
Scientific Name Synonyms
Copaifera salikounda Heckel
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 46 m. The bole is straight, cylindrical, and up to 30 m in length, with an occasional swollen base in older trees. Buttresses are absent. The trunk diameter attains up to 200 cm.
Natural Habitat
Copaifera religiosa occurs mainly in dense, primary forests and more rarely in the sedimentary basin in mixed stands.
Non Timber Uses
Contains some resins or extracts which could pose problems when machining or finishing.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Vestured pits. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). 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. Prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
Pleasant odor.
Color
The sapwood is whitish to pale pink. The heartwood is pale pink brown to reddish brown, copper tinge, with darker veining, it is clearly demarcated. The silver figure is fine (not always conspicuous).
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
5
Grain
Straight; grain has no particular influence on drying, machining and finishing qualities.
Texture
The wood is typically medium in texture.
Luster
The wood surface is low in luster.
Natural Durability
Not durable; important risks of decay attacks at any processing step, from logs up to final products. It must receive preservative treatment. Sensible to termites attack. Heartwood is sensible to Lyctus attacks.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Internal Growth Stresses
Residual growth stresses are absent.
Silica Content
Silica Content: Silica content is negligible. Amounts over 0.05% may affect wood processing. Silica Value: 0.01
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.53
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.58
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.0
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
5.3
Drying Defects
Drying Defects: Deformation on cross section ( collapse) may be moderately severe during kiln drying. Preliminary air drying is recommended for thick boards.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-5
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.3
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
832
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
105406
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
483
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
59
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
87
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
407
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
511
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.
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.
Response To Hand Tools
No particular problems.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, fittings, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, PACKING, CONTAINERS, truck bodies, truck flooring, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts, particleboard, paper
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Fittings
- 19 - Silica in Timbers
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
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Particleboard
- 80 - Estudio Integral de la Madera para Construcción
Paper
- 82 - Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign woods (Part 2) Central and South America.
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