STANDARD NAME
MEMPISANG
(Light Hardwood)
(Also known as Karai in Sabah and Kepayang Babi in
Sarawak)
Family
Annonaceae
BOTANICAL NAME
Alphonsea spp., Cyathocalyx spp., Mezzettia
spp., Platymita spp. and Xylopia spp.
DISTRIBUTION
Occurs mainly in lowland forests, low-lying semi-swamps and hills.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The sapwood is normally not well-defined from the heartwood, which is light yellow-white or light yellow-brown, often with a green tinge in colour.
Grain is almost straight.
Texture is rather coarse and uneven due to the presence of the extremely large rays.
Vessels are with simple perforations, medium-sized or moderately large, few or moderately few in number, the majority in radial pairs and radial multiples of three to seven, the rest solitary.
Wood parenchyma is of both apotracheal and paratracheal types. Apotracheal type is predominant, occurring as narrow closely spaced lines interrupted by the rays, producing a distinctive scalariform pattern. Paratracheal parenchyma is sparse, occurring as narrow borders to the pores.
Rays are of two distinct sizes. The broader rays are medium-sized, moderately broad or very broad and distinct to conspicuous on the cross-section and radial section. The finer rays are interspersed between the broader rays.
USES
Suitable for general light construction, joinery, furniture, sliced veneer, match boxes and splints, packing cases and crates. The heavier species can be used for parquet and strip flooring, tool handles and wooden mathematical instruments.
MTIB - Malaysian Timber Industry Board published this content on 17 January 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 17 January 2017 08:31:02 UTC.
Original documenthttp://www.mtib.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2366:mempisang&catid=209:timber-facts&lang=en
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