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PALéTUVIER (Rhizophora racemosa)
Trade Name
Palétuvier
Scientific Name
Rhizophora racemosa G.F.W.Mey.
Family
RHIZOPHORACEAE
Common Names
Odo nowe (Nigeria); Egba (Nigeria); Ntan (Gabon); Tanda (Cameroon); Palétuvier (Cameroon); Palétuvier
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
The tree reaches a height of 5 to 13 m. The bole is usually straight. The trunk diameter attains 30 to 70 cm.
Natural Habitat
Rhizophora racemosa is confined to muddy lagoons and estuaries.
Natural Distribution
Along the coastal sites from Senegal to Angola.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Occasionally vessels exclusively solitary (over 90%). Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 100 micras or less (very small). Tyloses thin walled. Vessels per mm2 10 to 20 (abundant). Intervessel pits scalariform. Scalariform perforation plat Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Non-crystals in axial parenchyma cells. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays non-storied. Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Heterogeneous rays and/or multiseriate heterogeneous rays. Non-septate fibers. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is from purple-red to dark red, it is not clearly demarcated.
Grain
Straight; grain has no particular influence on drying, machining and finishing qualities.
Texture
The wood is typically medium in texture.
Luster
Timber of this species 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. Resistant to termites attack.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Internal Growth Stresses
Residual stresses are reported to be absent.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.91
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
1.06
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
FR-10
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
1547
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
859
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
128
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
1421
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
1383
Workability
Sawing
Sawing of this species requires powerful equipment.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
Not suitable for veneering.
Sliced Veneer
Not suitable for veneering.
Blunting Effect
Severe blunting effect; stellited blades for sawing and carbide tools for machining are recommended.
Machining
It needs powerful tools for processing. Possible difficulties caused by interlocked grain are reported.
Planing
Rather difficult; special tools are needed.
Moulding
Easy; no particular problems.
Boring
Easy; no particular problems.
Mortising
Easy; no particular problems.
Nailing
Pre-boring is necessary.
Gluing
Difficult to glue because of high density.
Sanding
Easy to perform; it gives good results.
Polishing
Can be polished without surface preparation.
Response To Hand Tools
Working with hand tools is difficult.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, frames, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Boards
- 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
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