Calophyllum spp.

Bintangor

Family: Guttiferae

Other Common Names: Poon (India), Bitanghol, Bitaog (Philippines), Tamanou (New Caledonia), Penaga (Sabah), Ka thang han, Ka thang Ian, Tang hon (Thailand), Damanu (Fiji Islands).

Distribution: The genus is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia on sites they range from coastal and swamp to mountain forests.

The Tree: Trees generally to a height of 100 ft with trunk diameters of 2 ft, but may reach a height of 150 ft with a diameter of 5 ft. Boles are long, cylindrical, and often clear to 40 to 60 ft.

The Wood:

General Characteristics: Heartwood deep red, red brown, pink brown, or orange red; sapwood yellow brown with a pink or orange tinge, clearly defined. Texture coarse moderately coarse, rather uneven; lustrous; grain interlocked; without distinctive odor or taste; figured by concentric irregular bands of parenchyma.

Weight: Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) varies with species from 0.40 to 0.65; air-dry density 31 to 50 pcf.

Mechanical Properties: (2-in. standard)

Moisture content Bending strength Modulus of elasticity Maximum crushing strength

(%) (Psi) (1,000 psi) (Psi)

Green (6) 8,450 1,240 4,090

12% 13,700 1,480 8,640

Green (9) 9,500 1,330 4,755

12% 13,255 1,705 7,165

Janka side hardness 1,040 lb for green material and 1,475 lb for dry. Forest Products Laboratory toughness 87 in.-lb for green material and 110 in.-lb at 12% moisture content (5/8-in. specimen).

Drying and Shrinkage: Moderately difficult to air dry; most species particularly prone to warping and some checking; end-splitting is common. Kiln schedule T2-D4 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T2-D3 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to ovendry: radial 3.9% ; tangential 5.7%.

Working Properties: Most species are reported to be fairly easy to saw and work; sawn surfaces are often woolly; dresses rather smoothly.

Durability: Rated as nondurable in ground contact and is vulnerable to termite attack as well as marine borers.

Preservation: Sapwood is reported to treat well; heartwood is fairly resistant, absorbing only 4 pcf using an open tank system.

Uses: Flooring, furniture components, light construction, boat-building, cabinetwork.

Additional Reading: (6), (9), (11), (47)

M 150 282-3Logs are delivered to a sawmill in southern Nigeria. African mahogany

(mostly Khaya ivorensis) is in high demand on overseas markets. Export of logs fro

this region, as well as from most other tropical areas, is being restricted.

M 150 282-2Band mills in Ghana are designed to handle logs 5 feet and more in

diameter. Obeche or Wawa (Triplochiton scleroxylon) logs yield lumber favored for

joinery and millwork.

M 150 273-14In many areas of the tropics, fast-growing species are being introduced

future supplies of fuel wood and industrial wood. Batai (Albizia falcataria) is

a favored plantation species in the Philipines.