Scientific Name
Gambeya subnuda
Trade Name
Longhi
Family Name
Sapotaceae
Common Names
Longhi
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zaire
Common Uses
Beams, Bent Parts, Building construction, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Core Stock, Decks, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Joists, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Parquet flooring, Plywood, Stairworks, Veneer
Environmental Profile
| Abundant/Secure | ||||||||||||
| Rare | ||||||||||||
| Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat | ||||||||||||
| Status unknown in many of its growth areas | ||||||||||||
| Generally secure within its natural habitat | ||||||||||||
| Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare in some parts of its natural range | ||||||||||||
| Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center |
Officially classified as Vulnerable in Cameroon and Ivory Coast. It is also either Extinct, Endangered, Rare, or Vulnerable in Uganda. Its status in the wild is currently listed as unknown because of inadequate information in Benin, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo
Distribution Overview
West and Central Africa, from Sierra Leone to the Congo region and Angola. It is a rain forest species, though it may be found in transitional forests within its range.
Heartwood Color
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| Orange | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Pink | ||||||||||||
| Green/grey | ||||||||||||
| Whitish | ||||||||||||
| Pinkish brown | ||||||||||||
| Olive yellow |
The heartwood is initially whitish, but turns pinkish brown to olive yellow upon exposure
Sapwood Color
| White | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| White to yellow | ||||||||||||
| Color not distinct from heartwood |
Grain
| Even | ||||||||||||
| Straight | ||||||||||||
| Interlocked |
| Occasionally interlocked, but not always | ||||||||||||
| Generally straight, but not always |
Texture
| Fine | ||||||||||||
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Fine to medium |
Luster
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Low | ||||||||||||
| Low |
Natural Durability
| Susceptible to insect attack | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to termites | ||||||||||||
| Non-durable | ||||||||||||
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to powder post beetles | ||||||||||||
| Moderately durable | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to powder post beetles | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack by marine borers and termites | ||||||||||||
| Liable to blue stain |
Odor
| No specific smell or taste |
Drying Defects
| Distortion | ||||||||||||
| Checking | ||||||||||||
| Splitting | ||||||||||||
| Distortion (twist/warp) is likely | ||||||||||||
| Checking |
Ease of Drying
| Moderately Difficult to Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Slowly | ||||||||||||
| Moderate |
Kiln Drying Rate
| Naturally dries slowly |
Tree Size
| Tree height is 20-30 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 0-10 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 0-10 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 20-30 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 30-40 m | ||||||||||||
| Bark width is 20-25 mm |
Product Sources
The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced occasionally and exported only in low volumes.
Blunting Effect
| Cutting edges are dulled slightly |
Boring
| Fairly easy to very easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to good results | ||||||||||||
| Fair results |
Carving
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Responds fairly well to carving |
Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw | ||||||||||||
| Low cutting resistance |
Gluing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results |
Mortising
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fair mortising properties |
Moulding
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fair moulding results (50+ % of pieces will yield good to excellent results) |
Movement in Service
| Fair to Good Stability – Medium Movement | ||||||||||||
| Excellent Stability – Small Movement |
Nailing
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Possible if prebored |
Nailing requires pre-boring, but the timber is reported to hold nails firmly
Planing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Yields smooth surfaces |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Permeable sapwood | ||||||||||||
| Permeable heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Sapwood is moderately resistant | ||||||||||||
| Heartwood is resistant |
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work | ||||||||||||
| Responds Readily | ||||||||||||
| Responds fairly well to hand tools |
Routing & Recessing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Routs fairly well |
Sanding
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair sanding qualities |
Turning
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Turns well |
Veneering Qualities
| Logs can peel and slice satisfactorily into veneers |
Polishing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Good results |
Staining
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
Varnishing
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Good results |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Bending Strength | 21678 | psi | |
| Density | 45 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 9055 | psi | |
| Stiffness | 1921 | 1000 psi | |
| Weight | 62 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 9 | % | |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Bending Strength | 1524 | kg/cm2 | |
| Density | 721 | kg/m3 | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 636 | kg/cm2 | |
| Stiffness | 135 | 1000 kg/cm2 | |
| Weight | 993 | kg/m3 | |
| Radial Shrinkage | 5 | % |
References
Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.
ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 – Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France