MTIB Malaysian Timber Industry Board : KEMBANG SEMANGKOK

STANDARD NAME

KEMBANG SEMANGKOK

(Light Hardwood)

Family

Sterculiaceae

BOTANICAL NAME

Scaphium spp.

DISTRIBUTION

Found scattered mainly in the lowland forests but occasionally found on ridge-tops and also in swampy areas.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The sapwood is lighter in shade merging gradually into the heartwood, which is yellowbrown, light buff or light brown.

Grain is straight or shallowly interlocked.

Texture is slightly coarse and uneven due to the broad rays and wide layers of parenchyma.

Growth rings are distinct, demarcated by layers of terminal parenchyma.

Vessels are medium-sized to moderately large, few to fairly few, solitary and in radial groups of two to three, with a tendency to tangential arrangement. Vessels are open.

Wood parenchyma is abundant, visible to the naked eye, with paratracheal parenchyma appearing as borders around the vessels, sometimes aliform and locally confluent; apotracheal parenchyma as fairly broad bands which simulate growth rings.

Rays are of two distinct sizes; the larger rays being very broad and conspicuous, the finer rays are storeyed. The ray pattern on the tangential longitudinal surface is characteristic and reminiscent of mosquito-netting.

USES

Extensively used in the manufacture of decorative plywood and as interior finishing timber; also suitable for furniture, panelling, partitioning and has been successfully used in the manufacture of match splints.