
Ako ire (Funtumia africana)
Family: Apocynaceae
Common names: Adiakoua adrakoi, Afromonondou, Ako ire, Ako-ire, Anyan, Bandapare, Bassa-bassa, Bastard rubber tree, Bastard wild rubber, Bobo, Boboi, Bole, Bu-ay-boh, Buboi, Bunkankon, Bush rubber, Diabudimbu, Diladila, Dimbu n'dimbu, False rubber tree, Fulmunto-okai, Funtum, Gboboi, Ire, Ka-wathia, Kpoli, Kpomi, Mama, Mba miri, Mubudi, Munkenke, Munyamagozi, Munyamatunga, Musanda, Mutalabudimbu, Mutoke, Mutondo, Mutundi, Mutundo, Nkago, Nkame, Nkwame, Okae, Osese, Oseseo, Ouala, Pe, Pe-sain, Pesin, Po, Pono, Poran, Pouo, Pri, Sese, Seseo, Sooue, Tendo, Tive, Usumba, Wala, Wangolo, Watia, Wild rubber tree
Distributed in: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire (Africa)
Common uses: Balusters, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Casks, Chemical derivatives, Construction, Core Stock, Drawer sides, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Matches, Millwork, Moldings, Office furniture, Packing cases, Particleboard, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Stairworks, Stringers, Trimming, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wainscotting
Environment profile: Rare in parts of its natural range (population is at risk)
Colors: the heart isWhite to cream, Yellow to golden-yellow to orangeand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isStraight, the textureUniform
Natural durability: Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera), Susceptible to marine borer attack
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Drying Defects:
The timber seasons well, though logs usually require early spraying since they are easily attacked by sap-stain fungi
Ease of Drying: Slowly
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good The wood is described as very fissile, soft, and rather brittle.
Blunting Effect: Blunting effect on machining is slight
Boring: Good (75+ pieces out of 100 will yield good to excellent results)
Carving: Easy to carve
Cutting Resistance: Easy to saw
Gluing: Glues well
Mortising: Good mortising properties
Moulding: Good moulding properties
Movement in Service: Good moulding properties
Nailing: Easy to nail, Holds nails well
Planing: Yields smooth surfaces
Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is permeable
Resistance to Splitting: Good
Response to hand tools: Good response to hand tools
Routing recessing: Recessing is easy
Sanding: Easy to sand
Screwing: Good screw holding properties, Good screwing properties; Turning: Good results
Painting: Good;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
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Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
|
|
|
Density |
|
448 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
493 |
774 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
207 |
350 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
144 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
|
|
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
85 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
77 |
90 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
7 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
4 |
|
% |
Weight |
432 |
384 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
|
|
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 7026 | 11011 | psi | Density | | 28 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 319 | lbs | Maximum Crushing Strength | 2953 | 4979 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 1221 | psi | Stiffness | 1103 | 1291 | 1000 psi | Weight | 27 | 24 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 4 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 7 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 13 | | % | |
Hardness (side grain) = very soft Bending strength (MOR) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Volumetric = moderate Shrinkage, Volumetric = large Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Volumetric = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = low
Battiscombe, E.,1926,A Descriptive Catalogue of some of the Common Trees and Woody Plants of,Kenya Colony,Crown Agents for the Colonies LondonBolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building ResearchBrenan, J.P.M., Greenway, P.J.,1949,Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire,Imperial Forestry Institute, Oxford No.5 Tanganyika Territories Part 2Cooper, G.P., Record, S.J.,1931,The Evergreen Forests of Liberia,Yale School Forestry Bulletin,31,pp1-153Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry DepartmentForest Products Research Laboratory, Nigeria,1965,Nigerian Timbers for Matchmaking,Nigeria Fed. Department of Forest Research, Ibadan, Forest Products,Research Laboratory Report No.5Fouarge, J., Gerard, G.,1964,Bois du Mayumbe,I.N.E.A.C. BelguimFrance - C.T.F.T./C.T.B.,1982,Guide pour le Choix des Essences Deroulables-pour la fabrication du,contreplaque,C.T.F.T./C.T.B. FranceFrance - Comite Nacional des Bois Coloniaux,1931,Etude Physique et Mecanique des Bois Coloniaux,Assoc. Colonies-Sciences & Comite National des Bios Coloniaux, Paris,,FranceIrvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. LondonKeay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, IbadanKennedy, J.D.,1936,Forest Flora of Southern Nigeria,Government Printer LagosKryn, J.M., Forbes, E.W.,1959,The Woods of Liberia,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture,Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,,Report No. 2159Lebacq, L., Dechamps, R.,1967,Contribution a un Inventaire de Forets du Nord-kasai,Musee Royal de L'Afrique Centrale Belgium Annals Series 8 No.5Meniaud, J., Bretonnet, F.,1926,Les Bois Coloniaux d'Afrique dans l'Industrie,Publ. de l'Agence Gen. des ColoniesPieters, A.,1977,Essences Forestieres du Zaire,R.U.G. Gent BelguimSavill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra LeoneTack, C.H.,1969,Uganda Timbers,Govt. Printer UgandaTakahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7Taylor, C.J.,1960,Synecology and Silviculture in Ghana,University College of Ghana Thomas Nelson and SonsUnited Kingdom - H.M.S.O.,1954,Report of the Matchwood Working Party,H.M.S.O. for the Board of Trade and Ministry of MaterialsUnwin, A.H.,1920,West African Forests and Forestry,T. Fisher Unwin Ltd. LondonWimbush, S.H.,1950,Catalogue of Kenya Timbers,Govt. Printer Nairobi Kenya
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