Carapa procera

and C. grandiflora

African Crabwood

Family: Meliaceae

Other Common Names: Gobi, Kowi (Sierra Leone), Toon-kor-dah (Liberia), Alla, Dona (Ivory Coast), Bete, Krupi (Ghana), Agogo (Nigeria), Mujogo, Mutongana (Uganda).

Distribution: Widely distributed in western sections of tropical Africa and extending eastward to Uganda; the range of both species overlap in Angola and Zaire.

The Tree: Attains a height of about 50 ft; mature stems fairly straight, usually fluted, small buttresses; diameters 2 to 3 ft.

The Wood:The Wood:The Wood:

General Characteristics: Heartwood pink when freshly cut, turning to a reddish brown with a golden luster; sapwood pinkish gray or light brown, well demarcated in C. procera. Grain straight, wavy, or interlocked; texture variable from fine to coarse; high luster; a bitter taste but no odor.

Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) varies with species 0.53 to 0.65; air-dry density 40 to 50 pcf.

Mechanical Properties: No information available.

Drying and Shrinkage: Generally air dries well with little degrade, logs prone to end-splitting. No information available on kiln schedules or shrinkage values. Movement in service is rated as moderate to small.

Working Properties: Reported to be easy to work and takes a smooth finish, some tearing of interlocked grain in planing, turns well, easy to glue.

Durability: Only moderately resistant to attack by decay fungi and termites.

Preservation: Heartwood reported to be extremely resistant to preservative treatments.

Uses: Joinery, furniture, flooring, used in Uganda for mine work.

Additional Reading: (3), (6)