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

Scientific Name
Piptadeniastrum africanum

Trade Name
Dahoma

Family Name
Leguminosae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
African greenheart, Agbion, Agboin, Akasanumu, Atui, Banzu, Bi-eh, Bocachico, Bokundu, Bokungo, Bokungu, Bukundu, Carabali, Carbonero, Chen, Dabema, Dahoma, Dandad, Dane, Dubima, Ekhimi, Ekhivi, Elae, Elany, Eran, Erundu, Gau, Guli, Hediondo, Huilca, Itoumbe, Jondo, K-kuperb, Ka-bari, Koungou, Likundu, Mbele, Mbele-guli, Mbeli, Mpewere, Mugeye, Musese, Mussasae, N'singa, N-go, Nga, Odan, Odane, Odannan, Odanwoma, Redwood, Sanga, Singa, Tarahuilca, To, Tom, Toum, wenga

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda, Zaire

Common Uses
Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Bridge beams, Bridge construction, Bridge joists, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Charcoal, Cooperages, Decks, Domestic flooring, Flooring, Framing, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Moldings, Paneling , Parquet flooring, Particleboard, Partitions, Plywood, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Sub-flooring, Truck bodies, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting

Environmental Profile
Status unknown due to inadequate information
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center


The unknown areas include Angola, Central African Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Zaire
This species is relatively secure within its natural habitat in Congo, Ivory Coast, and Uganda, but is classified as Vulnerable in Cameroon.

Distribution Overview
The species occurs in tropical West Africa, from Senegal to Angola and across the Congo region to Uganda. It usually grows in mixed deciduous and evergreen forests, and is often found as single trees on farmlands. The species coppices well.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Purple
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Brown
Pale brown
Greenish to greyish
Dark brown
White to cream
Light to dark brown, and often is a uniform yellow-orange to golden-brown


Sapwood Color
White
White to yellow
Well defined
Different than heartwood
Pinkish
Paler than heartwood
Pale pink to gray-red
Clearly distinct from heartwood

It is generally about 2 inches (5 cm) in width

Grain
Figure
Interlocked
Distinct (figure)
Other (figure)
Rippled (figure)
Even
Straight

Interlocked
Distinct figure
Other figure
Rippled figure
Broad stripe on quartersawn surfaces
Distinct and fine figure
Straight

Attractive stripe figure often present on quartersawn surfaces.

Texture
Fine
Even or uniform
Uniform
Coarse
Uniform

Woolly

Luster
Lustrous
Pronounced


Natural Growth Defects
Yellowish deposits in vessels


Natural Durability
Heartwood is fairly resistant to termites and other insects
Durable
Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack
Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present
Moderately durable
Very durable
The standing tree is susceptible to Ambrosia Beetle attack
Non durable
Vulnerable to attack by powder-post beetles
Susceptible to marine borer attack
Naturally resistant to decay

Susceptible to attack by pinhole borers and moderately resistant to termite attack, except in South Africa

Odor
Unpleasant odor when freshly cut

Odor may be detectable when the wood is re-wetted

Corrosive Properties
Reacts with metals


Toxicity
Unspecified toxicity
Respiratory effects
Dermatitic effects
Sawdust can cause throat irritation in some individuals
Sawdust can cause eye irritation


Kiln Schedules
Dry at a slow speed
UK=A US=T2D4/T2D3 Fr=1
T2-D4(4/4);T2-D3(8/4)Us Schedule A; United Kingdom
Air drying prior to kiln drying is suggested


Drying Defects
Checking
Collapse
Distortion
Moderate collapse and honeycombing
Severe collapse and honeycomb
Moderate twist/warp
Slight end splitting
No end splitting
Slight surface checking
No surface checking
Tendency for some stock to collapse and distort during drying
Moderate cupping


Ease of Drying
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Difficult
Easy
Variable results.
Dries slowly
Difficult to kiln dry


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is buttressed
Bole/stem form is straight
Bole/stem form is cylindrical


Tree Size
Bole length is 10-20 m
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm


Certified Source
Certified Source


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Tendency to split during felling

Timber in the green condition may promote corrosion in iron and iron compounds

Blunting Effect
Little
Blunting effect on machining is moderate
Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe
Very pronounced blunting in sawing
Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges
Blunting effect on machining is variable


Boring
Fair to good results
Fairly easy to very easy
Easy
Boring may cause wood to char moderately and break out at tool exit


Carving
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Respond well to ordinary tools in carving, with moderate blunting effect on cutting edges


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Difficult to saw
Sever blunting effect on saw-teeth
Saws well


Gluing
Easy to glue
Moderate gluing properties
Gluing is often difficult
Glues well


Mortising
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Good mortising properties
Difficult to mortise


Moulding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Tends to pick up during moulding operations unless reduced cutting angle is used
Poor moulding results
Difficult to mould


Movement in Service
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Medium
Small
Moderate dimensional stability when straight grained material is properly seasoned
Material with interlocked grain moves considerably after manufacture


Nailing
Pre-Boring Recommended
Fair to Good Results
Easy to nail
Takes nails well
Pre-Boring may be necessary
Holds nails well


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Difficult to plane
Easy to plane
Reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended in planing interlocked materials
Planes to a poor finish
Good planing properties


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Permeable sapwood
Heartwood is resistant
Sapwood is moderately resistant
Extremely resistant
Resistant
Moderately resistant to impregnation
Fairly resistant to impregnation


Resistance to Splitting
Satisfactory


Response to Hand Tools
Responds Readily
Easy to Work
Easy to machine
Difficult to machine
Responds well to hand tools
Moderate working qualities


Routing & Recessing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Routing is difficult
May be some tearing in material containing interlocked grain
Easy routing operations


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


Screwing
Pre-boring recommended
Fair to Good Results
Easy to screw
Screwing yields good results
Possible if prebored
Good screwing properties


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Works well in turning operations, but interlocked grain may interfere with machining


Veneering Qualities
There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits
Easy to cut


Steam Bending
Moderate
Moderate steam bending characteristics


Painting
Good results


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