Scientific Name
Swartzia fistuloides
Trade Name
Dina
Family Name
Caesalpiniaceae
Common Names
Akite, Asomanini, Awong, Bannia, Boto, Dina, Gandoe, Icoje, Kiela, Kiela kusu, Kisasamba, Kusu, Mututy, N’guessa, Naranjillo, Ndina, Nsakala, Oken, Orura barrialera, Pao rosa, Parakusan, Pau ferro, Pau rosa, Sambo, Sambo-sambo, Sambu, Sassambo, Wamara
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo, Zaire
Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Office furniture, Organ pipes, Piano keys, Pianos , Plain veneer, Plywood, Radio – stereo – TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Sounding boards, Sporting Goods, Stools, Tables , Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Violin bows, Violin, Wardrobes, Woodwork , Xylophones
Environmental Profile
| Unknown status in natural growth range due to inadequate inofrmation | ||||||||||||
| Rare in parts of its natural range | ||||||||||||
| Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. | ||||||||||||
| Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center |
This species is relatively secure within its range in most areas including Cameroon and Congo, but it is officially classified as Rare in Ivory Coast. Its current environmental status in other areas within its growth range is unknown because of insufficient information. These areas are Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Zaire
Distribution Overview
The genus Swartzia is composed of about 135 species, all of which occur in tropical America, except for two which occur in Africa. S. fistuloides occurs in small clusters in the dense rainforests from the Ivory Coast to Gabon and the Congo region.
Heartwood Color
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Grey | ||||||||||||
| Dark brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellow to golden-yellow to orange | ||||||||||||
| Pale red to pink | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Reddish brown | ||||||||||||
| Red-Brown bands | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Pink |
Sapwood Color
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| White to yellow | ||||||||||||
| Well defined | ||||||||||||
| White/Pale brown | ||||||||||||
| Sapwood can be very thick | ||||||||||||
| Different than heartwood |
Grain
| Wavy | ||||||||||||
| Interlocked | ||||||||||||
| Closed | ||||||||||||
| Figure | ||||||||||||
| Stripe (figure) |
| Wavy | ||||||||||||
| Interlocked | ||||||||||||
| Wavy to interlocked | ||||||||||||
| Striped figure |
Texture
| Coarse | ||||||||||||
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Coarse | ||||||||||||
| Medium to very coarse | ||||||||||||
| Fine |
Luster
| High | ||||||||||||
| Medium |
Natural Durability
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Non-durable | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) | ||||||||||||
| Very durable | ||||||||||||
| Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles | ||||||||||||
| Well suited for exterior applications | ||||||||||||
| Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles | ||||||||||||
| Heartwood resistant to decay | ||||||||||||
| Good weathering properties | ||||||||||||
| Durable |
Odor
| No specific smell or taste |
Silica Content
| High | ||||||||||||
| Siliceous |
Light-Induced Color Change
| Darker |
Kiln Schedules
| Dry at a slow speed |
Drying Defects
| Distortion | ||||||||||||
| Discoloration | ||||||||||||
| Slight surface checking | ||||||||||||
| Slight end splitting | ||||||||||||
| Shakes may become extended | ||||||||||||
| Moderate surface checking | ||||||||||||
| End-checking is moderate |
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy | ||||||||||||
| Dries slowly with severe checking |
Tree Identification
| Bole/stem form is not buttressed | ||||||||||||
| Bole/stem form is misshapen |
Tree Size
| Bole length is 20-30 m |
Product Sources
The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced in limited quantities and exported in small volumes.
Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect
| Moderate | ||||||||||||
| Interlocked slightly to moderately | ||||||||||||
| Blunting effect on machining is moderate |
Boring
| Fairly easy to very easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to good results | ||||||||||||
| Wood tends to char during boring |
Carving
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Generally good results |
Cutting Resistance
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw | ||||||||||||
| May overheat saws rapidly | ||||||||||||
| Cutting resistance with dry wood is moderate | ||||||||||||
| Blades have short life and tend to vibrate |
Gluing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Easy to glue | ||||||||||||
| Good gluing characteristics |
Mortising
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Slight to moderate blunting effect on cutters | ||||||||||||
| Easy to mortise |
Moulding
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Good finishing results | ||||||||||||
| Easy to mould |
Nailing
| Possible if prebored |
Planing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Satisfactory planing qualities | ||||||||||||
| May be occasional pick up of grain | ||||||||||||
| Easy to plane | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to plane |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Permeable heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Permeable sapwood | ||||||||||||
| Heartwood is highly resistant | ||||||||||||
| Highly resistant |
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to machine | ||||||||||||
| Poor response | ||||||||||||
| Moderate working qualities |
Routing & Recessing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Routing characteristics are generally good |
Sanding
| Easy to sand |
Screwing
| Possible if prebored |
Turning
| Poor to Very Poor Results | ||||||||||||
| Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges | ||||||||||||
| Fairly good response to preservative treatment | ||||||||||||
| Easy to turn |
Veneering Qualities
| Bolt preparation requires steaming |
Polishing
| Satisfactory results | ||||||||||||
| Good results |
Strength Properties
| Shrinkage, Radial = moderate | ||||||||||||
| Bending strength (MOR) = very high | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = small | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Radial = small | ||||||||||||
| Max. crushing strength = very high | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high | ||||||||||||
| Bending strength (MOR) = high | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Radial = large | ||||||||||||
| Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. | ||||||||||||
| Very heavy | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = large | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large | ||||||||||||
| Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large | ||||||||||||
| Hardness (side grain) = very hard | ||||||||||||
| Density = very high | ||||||||||||
| Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high | ||||||||||||
| Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Bending Strength | 17175 | 24736 | psi |
| Density | 57 | lbs/ft3 | |
| Hardness | 2940 | lbs | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 10035 | 13389 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | 3185 | psi | |
| Stiffness | 2167 | 2537 | 1000 psi |
| Specific Gravity | 0.8 | ||
| Weight | 58 | 58 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 4 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 6 | % | |
| Volumetric Shrinkage | 10 | % | |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Bending Strength | 1207 | 1739 | kg/cm2 |
| Density | 913 | kg/m3 | |
| Hardness | 1333 | kg | |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 705 | 941 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | 223 | kg/cm2 | |
| Stiffness | 152 | 178 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
| Specific Gravity | 0.8 | ||
| Weight | 929 | 929 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 4 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 6 | % |
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
Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison.
Covington, S.A.,1972,The Strength Properties of Native Timbers used by the Mining Industry in,Zambia,Mining Timbers Project 8:3:3 Report, no.1
Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department
Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department
Freitas, M.C.P.G. de,1961,Madeiras de Angola Series 1,Reprint from Garcia de Orta Lisbon,9(4,pp699-711
Hughes, J.F.,1971,The Principal Timber Trees of Cameroon,Unpublished data
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.
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
Monterio, R.R., Pimenta de Franca, O.F.,1965,Tres Especies Florestais de Angola,Bol. Inst. Invest. Cientifica de Angola Reprint (Luanda, 2(2,pp209-18
Saint-Aubin, G. de,1963,La Foret du Gabon,CTFT Publ., No.21
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
WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing – Trees and Timbers of the World, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Plants Programme, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom