RENGAS (Gluta renghas)
Trade Name
Rengas
Scientific Name
Gluta renghas L.
Family
ANACARDIACEAE
Common Names
Kayu rengas (Indonesia); Rangai (Indonesia); Inghas (Indonesia); Rengas tembaga (Indonesia); Rengas hutan (Indonesia); Rengas ayer (Malaysia); Rengas burung (Indonesia); Thayet-thitsi (Myanmar); Rak baan (Thailand); Rengas jitong (Malaysia); Rak khao (Thailand); Rengas merah (Indonesia); Rengas (Italy); Rengas (Spain); Rengas (France); Rengas (United Kingdom); Thitsi (Myanmar); Rengas (Sarawak); Rengas betul (Indonesia); Rengas perau (Indonesia); Rengas (Indonesia); Rengas (Sweden); Borneo rosewood (United Kingdom); Rak (Thailand); Rengas (Germany); Rengas (Malaysia); Son (Vietnam); Rengas (United States of America); Rengas (Netherlands); Gluta (India)
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a medium-sized to large tree up to 50 m tall, with boles up to 115 cm in diameter, often multiple-stemmed and conically thickened at base. Buttresses are often present. This species yields a latex which is made into black lacquer, it is also poisono
Natural Habitat
Gluta renghas occurs gregariously along river banks in freshwater tidal beaches and in swamp forests without peat formation.
Non Timber Uses
The sap of Rengas contains poisonous compounds which disappear gradually with drying. It might produce an adverse reaction on sensible individuals.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Vessel-ray pits reticulate and/or foraminate. Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits large, 10 micras or more. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma in narrow bands on lines up to 3 cells wide. Homogeneous rays and/or sub-homogeneous rays (all ray cells procumbent). Fibers with distinctly bordered pits.
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Wood Macro Photo Radial Plane
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Wood Micro Photo Of Transversal Section
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Odor
Odor and taste are indistinct.
Color
The sapwood is clearly differentiated, white to pale yellow. The heartwood is dark reddish brown or deep blood red, streaked with darker colored zones.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
4
Grain
It is partly straight, partly wavy, interlocked.
Texture
The texture varies from medium to coarse.
Luster
Timber of this species is moderate in luster.
Natural Durability
The sapwood rapidly discolors and infested by insects if unprotected.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
6
Resistance To Impregnation
It is easy to treat with preservatives.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.66
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.73
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
6.0
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.2
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Boards of 13 mm and 38 mm thick can be dried in 2 months and 4 months, respectively. Drying Defects: There is a tendency to check, split and warp.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-E
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.9
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
925
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
123384
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
520
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
48
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
303
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
319
Workability
Sawing
The behavior of this species in sawing is considered to be easy to slightly difficult.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
For good results in slicing, steaming is required.
Sliced Veneer
For good results in slicing, steaming is required.
Machining
Machining operations are rather easy, but slightly difficult when dry.
Planing
Planing of dry wood is reported to be easy to fair.
Turning
30
Boring
Boring operations are fair to difficult.
Nailing
It is easy to nail.
Gluing
Gluing behavior is reportedly good.
Finishing
Wood of this species gives a good finish.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, beams, flooring, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, faces, Decorative veneer, TURNING, TOOLS, tool handles, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, handicrafts
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Beams
- 11 - Prospect: The wood database
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
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
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Tool Handles
- 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
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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