Entandrophragma candollei Harms

Entandrophragma candollei Harms

Standard trade name: Omu

A huge evergreen and deciduous forest tree growing up to 200 ft high and 23 ft in girth. The leaves are terminal with pinnate leaflets in 6 to 8 opposite to subopposite pairs, up to 3.5 in long, oblong elliptic or oblong-ovate with a rounded apex. Leaf base rounded or sides slightly unequal, conspicuous parallel reddish nerves below, rachis and buds brownish tomentose. The flowers are yellow in short pubescent panicles.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.—The heartwood is dark red-brown in color and is distinct from the pinkish red sapwood. It is hard and of medium weight which averages about 39 lb/ft3 seasoned. Green weight is about 60 lb/ft 3. It has an even, medium to coarse texture. The grain is generally interlocked.

SEASONING.—Omu seasons very slowly with a marked tendency to distort. The British Forest Products Laboratory kiln schedule A is recommended (FPRL, 1956).

DURABILITY.—Moderate.

WORKING QUALITIES.—Compared to sapele, omu is more difficult to saw, but works easily with machine and hand tools. It has a tendency to tear in planing and molding. For the best finish, therefore, a cutting angle of about 20° should be employed. It takes nails, stains, and polishes well.

USES.—As a superior timber, omu produces beautiful veneer for paneling, furniture, cabinets, and fine interior woodwork. It is employed for flooring and is moderately to highly durable.

XYLEM ANATOMY.—Growth rings absent. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels: about half in radial multiples of 3 to 8 pores, and about half solitary; solitary pores circular in outline, smaller pores in chains. usually angular; average pore diameter 82.4μm. range 40μm–140μm; average vessel element length 690μm, range 538μm–850μm; vessel wall thickness 2μm–3μm; perforation plate simple; vessel element end wall inclination slightly oblique to strongly oblique, few transverse; intervascular pitting alternate, relatively small. Imperforate tracheary elements: nonseptate fibers, average length 1255μm, range 1130μm–2325μm. Vascular rays: heterogeneous, mostly multiseriate, generally 4 or 5 cells wide, 11–24 cells high, but a few biserate cells also present. Axial parenchyma: apotracheal, banded, cells with dark amorphous deposits. Crystals absent.