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Blunting Effect
Boring
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Syzygium cordatum

Trade Name
Coast mdoni

Family Name
Myrtaceae

Synonyms
Syzygium cordifolium, Eugenia cordatia


Wood Image 1

Common Names
Coast mdoni, Curre, Gihlu, Imiswi, Kalunginsanvu, Kalunginsavu, Mecurre, Mosombo, Muchlo, Muchua, Mudoni, Muhlwa, Muhumbe, Muisu, Mukungu, Mukute, Muthwa, Mutiquiria, Mutwa, Mutxulu, Muwototo, Muzamba, Ohunyabariko, Omukondo, Timuchlo, Tucura, Umdoni, Umshui, Umswi, Vm-cozi, Water berry, Waterbessie, Waterboom, Waterhout, Watertree, Waterwood

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Mine timbers, Paneling, Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Vehicle parts

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure
Rare


Heartwood Color
Brown
Green/grey
Red
Yellow
Black
Purple
Orange
Greenish to greyish
Red
Pale red to pink


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Pink


Grain
Straight
Even
Interlocked
Figure
Weak (figure)

Straight
Weak figure
Interlocked


Texture
Fine
Medium
Resinous and oily
Fine
Medium
Fine to medium


Luster
Low
Medium


Natural Durability
Very durable
Resistant to termites
Non-resistant to marine borers
Durable
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-durable
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Non-resistant to termites
Moderately durable
Resistant to powder post beetles
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack
Durable


Odor
Has an odor


Toxicity
Some toxic effects


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
UK=A US=T2D4/T2D3 Fr=1


Drying Defects
Distortion
Checking
Splitting
Moderate end spitting
Severe end splitting
Moderate surface checking


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Rapidly
Variable results.


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries quickly
Very slow
Drying rate is slow


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is buttressed


Tree Size
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Bole length is 10-20 m
Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Bole length is 20-30 m


Blunting Effect
Little
Moderate


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Fair to good results


Cutting Resistance
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Moderate to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy


Gluing
Surface Preparation
Fair to Good Results
Easy to glue


Mortising
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Good finishing results
Easy to mould


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement


Nailing
Pre-Boring Recommended
Fair to Good Results
Easy to nail
Possible if prebored
Difficult to nail


Planing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results
Easy to plane
Planes well, to a good finish


Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is highly resistant
Sapwood is moderately resistant


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Easy to Work
Responds Poorly
Easy to machine


Sanding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to sand


Screwing
Pre-boring recommended
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Veneering Qualities
Difficult to veneer
Veneers easily


Steam Bending
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Poor to Very Poor Results


Painting
Surface Preparation
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Satisfactory results
Good results


Staining
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Varnishing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Good results


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
Max. crushing strength = medium
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft.
Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
Shrinkage, Tangential = large
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Bending strength (MOR) = medium


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength691110833psi
Density42lbs/ft3
Hardness1658lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength39166397psi
Shearing Strength2419psi
Stiffness134915641000 psi
Weight4133lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage4%
Tangential Shrinkage8%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength485761kg/cm2
Density673kg/m3
Hardness752kg
Maximum Crushing Strength275449kg/cm2
Shearing Strength170kg/cm2
Stiffness941091000 kg/cm2
Weight657528kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage4%

References
Ballenden, S.S.T.C.,1938,Um'doni or Waterwood (Syzygium cordata,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No.1,pp60-61 [South,African Forestry Journal]

Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48

Banks, C.H.,1954,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with Particular Reference to those,grown in the Union of South Africa,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No. 24 pp.44-65,[South,African Forestry Journal]

Banks, C.H.,1959,Notes on the Timber of Syzygium cordatum,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No.33,pp49-52,[South,African Forestry Journal]

Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research

Brenan, J.P.M., Greenway, P.J.,1949,Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire,Imperial Forestry Institute, Oxford No.5 Tanganyika Territories Part 2

Cardoso, J.G.A.,1961,Madeiras de Mocambique 7 - Syzygium cordatum,Serv.de Ag. Mocambique,Publ. Serie A, No.11

Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda

Goldsmith, B., Carter, D.T.,1981,The Indigenous Timbers of Zimbabwe,Forestry Commission, Zimbabwe Research Bulletin No.9

Scott, M.H.,1935,Weights of South African Growth Timbers,South African Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin,No.145,Forest Products Institute, Forestry Series No.1

Sim, T.R.,1921,Native Trees of South Africa,Union of South Africa Department of Mines and Industries Memoir No.3

Tanzania Forest Division,1967,The Weights and Shrinkage of some Local Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sect. Technical Note,No.25

White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London