Testulea Gabonensis (Izombe)

Scientific Name
Testulea gabonensis

Trade Name
Izombe

Family Name
Ochnaceae

Common Names
Ake, Akewa, Akewe, Isombe, Izombe, Magnenti, Mogongou, Mugongu, N’Gwaki, N’komi, Ngron, Rone, Zombe

Regions of Distribution
Africa

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, South Africa

Common Uses
Baskets, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Clogs, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Mathematical instruments, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Office furniture, Paneling , Paneling, Parquet flooring, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Radio – stereo – TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Skis, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tables , Toys, Turnery, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Windows

Environmental Profile

Classified as either Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare in Cameroon. Its status in the wild in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon is listed as unknown due to insufficient information

Distribution Overview
Found mainly in Gabon. It also grows in Cameroon and throughout the equatorial forests of West Africa. usually scattered in dense primary forests and transitional zones.

Heartwood Color

The heartwood varies from orange-yellow, gray-yellow, to pinkish-yellow with a gray hue.

Sapwood Color

Grain

May occasionally be slightly interlocked, producing a ribbon or wavy figure

Texture

A dark resinous substance is sometimes present in some cells.

Natural Growth Defects

Natural Durability

Odor

Kiln Schedules

Drying Defects

The sapwood is prone to develop blue sap stain

Ease of Drying

Kiln Drying Rate

Tree Identification

Tree Size

Product Sources
The timber is available in lumber form from large importers in the United States, and is usually priced in the moderately high range.

The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced only occasionally and exported in negligible quantities.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect

Boring

Bored surfaces are usually clean.

Carving

Cutting Resistance

Gluing

Mortising

The wood responds well to mortising operations with ordinary machine tools.

Moulding

Movement in Service

Nailing

Planing

Resistance to Impregnation

Resistance to Splitting

Response to Hand Tools

Routing & Recessing

Sanding

Screwing

Turning

Veneering Qualities

Steam Bending

Painting

Polishing

Staining

Varnishing

Strength Properties

Numerical Data

References
Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48

Bois et Forets des Tropiques,1990,Izombe (Testulea gabonensis,Bois et Forets des Tropiques No.225 (3) 65

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

ITTO. New Marketable Species Technical Notes. Prepared by Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, Division of CIRAD, 45 bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, 94736 Nogent-sur-marne Cedex, France

Kline, M. 1986. Testulea gabonensis – Izombe. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co, Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 344.

Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.

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

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.