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Blunting Effect Boring 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 Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resin Content Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Strength Properties Substitutes Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning		Scientific Name Prosopis africana Trade Name Guele Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Coulteria africana Common Names Abusurung, Akaka, Akiye, Akwiye, Buse-segne, Dwadata, Guele, Her, Ir, Ironwood, Kaki, Kiriya, Kirya, Kohi, Kokara, Kpanena, Kpaye, Kyembo, Langbina, Langbung, Langjina, Nanzili, Nazari, Pangi, Pato, Pau carvao, Prekese, Pung-un-nung, Sanchi lati, Sanga, Ubwa, Yan, Yoruba charcoal wood, Zamturi, Zingili Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zaire Common Uses Agricultural implements, Barge fenders, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Cabinetmaking, Charcoal, Cooperages, Crossties, Docks, Dockwork, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Handles: woodworking tools, Harbor work, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Naval architecture, Office furniture, Posts, Precision instruments, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Raft floats, Rafts, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Tables, Tool handles, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts, Wharf construction, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Status unknown in many of its growth areas Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Abundant in parts of its range Its status in the wild in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Zaire is currently listed as unknown Distribution Overview The genus Prosopis consists of about 40 species with a growth range in the tropical regions of America and Asia. It is represented by only one species, P. africana in tropical Africa. reported to grow in the savannah regions from West to East Africa, and is found from Senegal to Sudan and Uganda. Heartwood Color Red Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Brown Reddish dark brown Dark wine-red after drying Dark brown Brown - yellowish Sapwood Color Yellow Red White to yellow Well defined Different than heartwood Whitish brown Paler than heartwood Pale yellow Grain Closed Interlocked Wavy Wavy Occasionally wavy Occasionally interlocked, but not always Interlocked Texture Coarse Fine to medium Medium Fine Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin exudation Gum and mineral deposits Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Durable Very good weathering properties Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Immune to almost all insects Odor Fragrant odor Silica Content Slight Contains silica Resin Content Contains resin Corrosive Properties Non-corrosive Drying Defects Slight surface checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Fiber saturation point is very high Difficult Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is misshapen Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Product Sources Substitutes Substitute for Birch (Betula) Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is moderate Medium effect Boring Generally good Cutting Resistance Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Difficult to saw Gluing Easy to glue Good gluing properties Mortising Easy to mortise Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy There is a moderate blunting effect Moulds easily with ordinary tools Movement in Service Stable Retain shape after manufacture Dimensionally stable after seasoning Nailing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Possible if prebored Difficult to nail Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to plane Areas of interlocked grain may cause tearing Resistance to Impregnation Highly resistant Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Difficult to machine Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Medium blunting effect on cuttin tools Generally good Screwing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to turn Polishing Good results Satisfactory results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Hardness (side grain) = very hard Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 12226 18942 psi Density 53 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2940 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6170 9574 psi Shearing Strength 2136 psi Stiffness 1764 2019 1000 psi Weight 52 49 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 859 1331 kg/cm2 Density 849 kg/m3 Hardness 1333 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 433 673 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 150 kg/cm2 Stiffness 124 141 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 833 785 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References 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 Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda Gottwald, H., Noack, D.,1966,Anatomische und Physik-Technol. Untersuchungen an Holzarten de Sudan,Mitt. Bundforschanst.Forst-u Holzw,Vol.64 Gotz, E.,1983,Timber trees of the Gambia,Stiftung Walderhaltung in Afrika and Bundesforschungsanstalt fur Forst-,und Holzwirtschaft Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Keay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan Kennedy, J.D.,1936,Forest Flora of Southern Nigeria,Government Printer Lagos Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T Savill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra Leone Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7 Unwin, A.H.,1920,West African Forests and Forestry,T. Fisher Unwin Ltd. London