TAPUS (Elateriospermum tapos)
Trade Name
Tapus
Scientific Name
Elateriospermum tapos Blume
Family
EUPHORBIACEAE
Common Names
Kedui (Indonesia); Pee-ra (Thailand); Kelampai (Sarawak); Dungku (Sarawak); Perah (Malaysia); Tapos (Indonesia); Pra (Thailand); Tapus
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It is a deciduous or semi-deciduous, monoecious, small to medium-sized tree up to 30 m tall. The bole is often poorly shaped, sometimes sinuous, up to 60 cm in diameter, fluted at base or with small buttresses.
Natural Habitat
It is a monotypic genus. Elateriospermum tapos occurs in primary evergreen or semideciduous lowland and hill forests, up to 600 m of altitude.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 200 micras or more (large). Tyloses common. Vessels per mm2 less than 6 (rare). Simple perforation plates. Intervessel pits large, 10 micras or more. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Occasionally prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells. Occasionally prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma cells and/or in fibers. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. Over 9 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays more than 10 per mm (abundant). Occasionally body ray cells procumbent with over 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-I). Body ray cells procumbent with mostly 2 to 4 rows of upright and/or square marginal Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Unrestricted
General Wood Description
Color
The heartwood is dark brown with a red tinge, sharply differentiated from the pale brown sapwood.
Grain
The grain is straight or shallowly interlocked.
Texture
The texture varies from moderately fine to medium.
Luster
The wood surface is described as moderate in luster.
Natural Durability
It is perishable and apt to be infested by fungi or other wood degrading organisms.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
5
Resistance To Impregnation
This species is reported to respond very well to preservative treatment.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.86
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.99
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
7.2
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
5.2
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: Seasoning is rated as moderately fast without degrade.
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.4
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Workability
Sawing
Sawing of this species is difficult. The saw-teeth get clogged easily with gums present in wood.
Planing
Planing of this species is fair.
Boring
Boring of this species is reported to be difficult.
Finishing
This species is reported to give a smooth finish.
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
EXTERIOR GENERAL, stakes posts, crossties, HOUSING GENERAL, flooring, parquet, TOOLS, tool handles
Exterior General
- 1 - Tabela de resultados de ensaios fisicos e mecanicos
Stake Posts
- 5 - Propriedades fisicas e mecanicas da madeira e do contraplacado de Pinus elliottii
Crossties
- 8 - Maderas latinoamericas. III, Podocarpus standleyi ,Podocarpus oleifolius, Drims granadensis, Magnolia poasana y Didymopanax pittieri
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Parquet
- 15 - Empire Timbers
Tools
- 42 - Utilización Industrial de Nuevas Especies Forestales en el Perú.
Tool Handles
- 43 - Maderas de Bolivia (Características y Usos de 55 Maderas Tropicales)
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