Scientific Name
Croton megalocarpus
Trade Name
Musine
Family Name
Euphorbiaceae
Common Names
Chepkeleliet, Lemaruguet, Masineitel, Mkigara, Mlalai, Muhande, Mukinduri, Musine, Muthuru, Ngeul, Nkulumire, Ol margait, Ol-mergoit, Ot
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
Cameroon, Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia
Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Building construction, Building materials, Construction, Factory flooring, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Fuelwood, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative
Environmental Profile
| Rare | ||||||||||||
| Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. | ||||||||||||
| Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center |
Distribution Overview
Occurs in tropical East Africa, with an altitudinal range of 4,000 to 6,700 ft; used as a shade tree in coffee plantations. The species covers a wide range of habitats, including montane semi-evergreen forest and semitropical rainforest. It is a dominant upper storey tree in some forested areas, widespread from Kakamega, to Nyeri, Samburu, Taita. It grows between 1200-2450 m, mean annual temperature of 11-26 deg. C and mean annual rainfall of 800-1900 mm.
Heartwood Color
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange | ||||||||||||
| White to cream | ||||||||||||
| Pale brown | ||||||||||||
| Greenish to greyish | ||||||||||||
| Dark brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellowish tan | ||||||||||||
| Bark inclusions are common |
Sapwood Color
| White | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Same as heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Color not distinct from heartwood |
Grain
| Straight | ||||||||||||
| Closed | ||||||||||||
| Even |
| Straight |
Texture
| Fine | ||||||||||||
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Coarse | ||||||||||||
| Fine to medium | ||||||||||||
| Medium to coarse |
Natural Durability
| Very durable | ||||||||||||
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Non durable | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles | ||||||||||||
| Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to marine borer attack | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack by fungi | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack by fungi and termites |
Susceptible to termite attack
Odor
| May have a slightly disagreeable smell when green |
Toxicity
| Unspecified toxicity | ||||||||||||
| Respiratory effects |
Kiln Schedules
| UK=C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3 | ||||||||||||
| T3-C2 (4/4); T3-C1(8/4) US | ||||||||||||
| Schedule C (4/4) United Kingdom |
Drying Defects
| Moderate end spitting | ||||||||||||
| Moderate twist/warp | ||||||||||||
| Moderate surface checking |
Drying defects commonly associated with the species are warping and checking
Ease of Drying
| Thick Stock Requires Care | ||||||||||||
| Reconditioning Treatement | ||||||||||||
| Little degrade | ||||||||||||
| Difficult |
Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is not buttressed | ||||||||||||
| Bole/stem form is cylindrical | ||||||||||||
| Bole/stem form is straight | ||||||||||||
| Bole/stem form is buttressed |
Tree Size
Boles that are often 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 m) in length
Comments
Irritating Properties
Sawdust from machining operations is reported to cause nose and throat irritation in some individuals
Cutting Resistance
| Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy | ||||||||||||
| Easy to saw |
Gluing
| Easy to glue | ||||||||||||
| Very good properties |
Movement in Service
| Large | ||||||||||||
| Stability is rated as poor | ||||||||||||
| Expect large movement | ||||||||||||
| Expect small movememt |
Nailing
| Easy to nail | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to nail |
Planing
| Planes well, to a good finish | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to plane |
Planed surfaces are usually clean and smooth
Resistance to Impregnation
| Heartwood is permeable | ||||||||||||
| Permeable | ||||||||||||
| Heartwood is moderately resistant |
Response to Hand Tools
| Difficult to machine | ||||||||||||
| Easy to machine |
Turning
| Difficult to turn |
Polishing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Good results |
Staining
| Stains well |
Strength Properties
| Hardness (side grain) = medium | ||||||||||||
| Bending strength (MOR) = medium | ||||||||||||
| Max. crushing strength = medium | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Max. crushing strength = high | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = very small | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Radial = very small | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = small |
The bending strength of air-dried wood of the species is similar to that of Teak, which is considered to be strong. Compression strength parallel to grain in the air-dry condition is high. Teak, White oak, and Hard maple have high crushing strength. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and marring. The weight is high. The wood has high density.
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Bending Strength | 10500 | 14431 | psi |
| Density | 44 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Hardness | 1521 | lbs | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 5932 | 7768 | psi |
| Specific Gravity | 0.53 | ||
| Weight | 43 | 34 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 2 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 4 | % | |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Bending Strength | 738 | 1014 | kg/cm2 |
| Density | 705 | kg/m3 | |
| Hardness | 689 | kg | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 417 | 546 | kg/cm2 |
| Specific Gravity | 0.53 | ||
| Weight | 689 | 544 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 2 | % |
References
Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa.
Battiscombe, E.,1926,A Descriptive Catalogue of some of the Common Trees and Woody Plants of,Kenya Colony,Crown Agents for the Colonies London
Bois, P.J.,1966,The Strength Properties of Tanzania Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tech. Note, No.35
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
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.
Bryce, J.M.,1967,Commercial Timbers of Tanzania,Tanzanian Forestry Division Util. Sec. Moshi
Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.
Eggeling, W.J.,1940,Indigenous Trees of Uganda,Govt. Printer Entebbe Uganda
Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO
Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1954,Hardwoods for Industrial Flooring,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Leaflet, No.48
Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38
France – C.T.F.T./C.T.B.,1982,Guide pour le Choix des Essences Deroulables-pour la fabrication du,contreplaque,C.T.F.T./C.T.B. France
Jane, F.W.,1954,The Structure of World Timbers – 21 Muganga Musine Pilon and Hura,Timber Technology,62(2175, pp15-17
Normand, D., Paquis, J.,1976,Manuel D’Identification des Bois Commerciaux. Tome 2. Afrique,Guineo-Congolaise,CTFT
Patterson, D.N.,1963,The strength of Kenya timbers, their derivation and application,Kenya Forestry Department Research Bulletin,No.23
Tack, C.H.,1969,Uganda Timbers,Govt. Printer Uganda
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
Tanzania Forest Department,1966,Flooring Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi – Timbers of Tanganyika
Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Croton megalocarpus (Musine,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi – Timbers of Tanganyika
Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Kiln Drying Schedules for Tanzania Timbers Technical Note no.38,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi
Uganda Forest Department,1954,Flooring Timbers,Uganda Forest Department Timber Leaflet,No.17
Uganda Forest Department,1954,The Mechanical Properties of some Ugandan Timbers,Uganda Forest Department Timber Leaflet,No.1
White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London
Wimbush, S.H.,1950,Catalogue of Kenya Timbers,Govt. Printer Nairobi Kenya
Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13