Pycnanthus Angolensis (Ilomba)

Scientific Name
Pycnanthus angolensis

Trade Name
Ilomba

Family Name
Myristicaceae

Synonyms
Myristica kombo, Myristica ngolensis, Pycnanthus kombo, Pycnanthus microcephalus, Pycnanthus schweinfurtnii

Common Names
Abora, Adre, Adria, African nutmeg, Akomu, Anakue, Antenli, Anwor, Atenli, Bakondo, Bali, Bassa, Bemba, Bokondo, Bokongo, Bosambe, Bosenga, Boxboard, Boyei, Calabo, Cardboard, Cardwood, Dean, Denke, Diehn, Dihin, Dihn, Edna, Edua, Effoi, Ekom, Entro, Escamba, Etama, Etan, Etang, Eteng, Etienh, Etsi, Etsiw, Etsu, Gboyei, Hetere, Ilomba, Kiang, Kombo, Komo, Kpokogi, Kpoyei, Kpoyej, Kuurul, Lamba, Lifondo, Llombo, Lolako, Lomba, Lunaba, Lusenga, Moghan, Moulomba, Mukagato, Mulomba, Munaba, Muno, Mutuje, N’kombo, N’laomba, Nesamba, Netere, Ngitsa, Ngosame, Nigerian boxwood, Obala, Omachan, Ongano, Ote, Oti, Otie, Oualele, Pitchong, Pomponi, Pycnanthus, Qualele, Senga, Tamarkwa, Teke, Ten, Teng, Tian, Tidea, Tika, Tshilombe, Tshimbbuku, Walehe, Walele, Walfle, Whismore, White cedar

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda

Common Uses
Bent Parts, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Decorative plywood, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Fine furniture, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matches, Millwork, Model airplanes, Moldings, Office furniture, Paneling, Particleboard, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio – stereo – TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shingles, Stools, Trimming, Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting, Wardrobes

Environmental Profile

Rather secure within its natural growth range in Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, and Uganda. Its status in the wild in Angola, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sao Tome, Sierra Leone, and Togo is currently listed as unknown because of insufficient information

Distribution Overview
The natural range of the species extends from Guinea to Uganda and Angola in Africa. It grows in lowland forests, and is especially abundant in secondary forests.

Heartwood Color

Both heartwood and sapwood are rather plain grayish-white to pinkish-brown, occasionally with yellowish or mauve markings

Sapwood Color

Grain

Quartersawn surfaces are reported to exhibit a mottled figure.

Texture

Moderately coarse to medium

Luster

Natural Durability

Rapid extraction of logs after felling is recommended to avoid degrade due to attack by insects and fungi.

Odor
Freshly-Milled wood has unpleasant odor which disappears upon drying

Toxicity

Kiln Schedules

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying

Tree Identification

Tree Size

Product Sources
The ITTO reports that the species is an important source of timber which is exported frequently.

Substitutes
Onzabili (Antrocaryon klaineanum and A. micraster) is a plywood substitute.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

The wood may split under frost conditions

Blunting Effect

Boring

Carving

Cutting Resistance

Gluing

Mortising

Moulding

Movement in Service

Nailing

Planing

Resistance to Impregnation

Response to Hand Tools

Routing & Recessing

Sanding

Screwing

Turning

Veneering Qualities

Painting

Polishing

Staining

Varnishing

Strength Properties

Bending strength is lower than Mahogany, and much lower than White oak.
It is weaker than Mahogany or Teak

Numerical Data

References
Bertin, A., Meniaud, J.,1949,Timbers of the Cameroons,Compagnie Francais du Cameroon,(Transl. by F.Jane)

Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1950,Ilomba (Pycnanthus angolensis,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.13,pp39-42

Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1975,Ilomba (Pycnanthus angolensis,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.159,pp39-54

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

Boulton, E.H.B., Price, T.J.,1931,Some Further Notes on Triplochiton scleroxylon,Tropical Woods,4(25, pp3-4

Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World No.1 Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.

Cooper, G.P., Record, S.J.,1931,The Evergreen Forests of Liberia,Yale School Forestry Bulletin,31,pp1-153

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

Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department

Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO

Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment

Fortin, Y., Poliquin, J.,1976,Natural Durability and Preservation of 100 Tropical African Woods,International Development Research Centre, Canada

Fouarge, J., Gerard, G.,1964,Bois du Mayumbe,I.N.E.A.C. Belguim

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

France – C.T.F.T.,1966,Bois Tropicaux,C.T.F.T. Publ.,12

France – C.T.F.T.,1977,Promotion of African Timbers – New Species,CTFT,35 Leaflets

France – Comite Nacional des Bois Coloniaux,1931,Etude Physique et Mecanique des Bois Coloniaux,Assoc. Colonies-Sciences & Comite National des Bios Coloniaux, Paris,,France

Garratt, G.A.,1933,Systematic anatomy of the woods of the Myristicacaeae,Tropical Woods,5(35,pp6-48

Ghana – Timber Marketing Board,1969,Ghana Hardwoods,Timber Marketing Board

Gutierrez Oliva, A., Plaza Pulgar, F.,1967,Caracteristicas fisico-mecanicas de las maderas Espanolas. (Physical and,mechanical properties of Spanish timbers.,Min.Agric./Dir.Gen Montes/Instituto Forestral de Investigaciones,y,Experiencias, Madrid pp102

Hedin, L.,1930,Etude sur la Foret et les Bois du Cameroun,Haut-Commissaire de la Cameroun

HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R. H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.

Hughes, J.F.,1971,The Principal Timber Trees of Cameroon,Unpublished data

I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting

Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London

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.

Jay, B.A.,1968,Timbers of West Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees . Clarendon Press, Oxford.

Keay, R.W.J., et al,1960,Nigerian Trees Vol.1,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan

Kennedy, J.D.,1936,Forest Flora of Southern Nigeria,Government Printer Lagos

Kinloch, D., Miller, W.A.,1949,Gold Coast Timbers,Govt. Printer Gold Coast

Kryn, J.M., Forbes, E.W.,1959,The Woods of Liberia,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture,Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,,Report No. 2159

Kukachka, B.F.,1970,Properties of Imported Tropical Woods,Forest Research Paper FPL 125

Kunkel, G.,1965,The Trees of Liberia,German Forestry Mission to Liberia Report,No.3

Lebacq, L., Dechamps, R.,1967,Contribution a un Inventaire de Forets du Nord-kasai,Musee Royal de L’Afrique Centrale Belgium Annals Series 8 No.5

Meniaud, J., Bretonnet, F.,1926,Les Bois Coloniaux d’Afrique dans l’Industrie,Publ. de l’Agence Gen. des Colonies

Pieters, A.,1977,Essences Forestieres du Zaire,R.U.G. Gent Belguim

Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London

Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l’Union Francaise,C.T.F.T

Sallenave, P.,1964,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Premier Supplement,C.T.F.T. Publ.,no.23

Sallenave, P.,1971,Proprietes Physiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux (Deuxieme,Supplement,C.T.F.T.

Savill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra Leone

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

Taylor, C.J.,1960,Synecology and Silviculture in Ghana,University College of Ghana Thomas Nelson and Sons

Timber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd.

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U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72

United Kingdom – H.M.S.O.,1954,Report of the Matchwood Working Party,H.M.S.O. for the Board of Trade and Ministry of Materials

Unwin, A.H.,1920,West African Forests and Forestry,T. Fisher Unwin Ltd. London

Voorhoeve, A.G.,1965,Liberian High Forest Trees,Centre for Agric. Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen

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