Umbila (Pterocarpus angolensis‌)

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Umbila, scientifically known as Pterocarpus angolensis, is well-known for its valuable timber, often used in furniture making due to its durability and attractive grain. The tree is also culturally significant in some regions.
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Overview

It is a deciduous tree usually growing to 16 m tall, with dark brown bark and a high, wide-crowned canopy of shiny compound leaves. In favoured wetter locations the trees are typically about 18–19 m tall. The leaves appear at the time of the flowers or shortly afterwards. They are alternate, deep green, imparipinnate, with 11-19 subopposite to alternate leaflets, the leaflets 2.5–7 cm long and 2–4.5 cm broad. It produces an abundance of scented, orange-yellow flowers in panicles 10–20 cm long; flowering is in the spring. In southern Africa, this is usually just at the end of the dry season, often about mid-October. The pod is 2–3 cm diameter, surrounded by a circular wing 8–12 cm diameter, reminiscent of a brown fried egg, and containing a single seed. This brown papery and spiky seed pod stays on long after the leaves have fallen. In poorly drained locations, the tree can still grow but it becomes more open in shape with leaves on the end of long branches - a 'stag-headed' appearance. It is referred to as a blood wood tree: when it is cut, it appears to bleed because of dark red sap.

SpeciesUmbila (*Pterocarpus angolensis ‌)
OriginAfrica
GradeAIC
Thickness18mm to 300mm
Width40mm to 300mm
Length4m to 8m
DryingKD, AD
Prominent Uses

Description & Distribution

Pterocarpus angolensis (African teak, wild teak, Portuguese: Girassonde, Afrikaans: Kiaat, Sotho: Morôtô, Tswana: Mokwa, Venda: Mutondo, Shona: Mukwa, Tsonga: Mvhangase, Ndebele: Umvangazi, Shona: Mubvamaropa, Zulu: Umvangazi) is a species of Pterocarpus native to southern Africa, in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. It is a protected tree in South Africa. The name Kiaat, although Afrikaans, is sometimes used outside South Africa as well. In Zimbabwe, depending on what region you are in, it is known as Mukwa( which it is also called in Zambia) or Mubvamaropa.

Physical Characteristics

Crushing Strength:  45 to 60 MPa    
Specific Gravity (at 12% MC):    0.56 g/cm3
Stability    : Moderate to good dimensional stability
Static Bending Strength: 90 to 110 MPa.

Durability and resistance

Very durable to decay; without preservative treatment. This species is especially suited for all the uses with risks of permanent or long-lasting humidification. Resistant to termites attack. Heartwood is resistant to Lyctus attacks.    

Typical Applications

● Beams
●  Joists
●  Boards
●  Flooring
●  Parquet
●  Frames
●  Steps
●  Panelling
●  Fittings
●  luxury furniture
●  Cabinets
●  Decorative veneer
●  Ornaments
●  Turned furniture
●  Cutlery
●  Lasts
●  Truck bodies
●  Truck flooring
●  Boats
●  Boat hulls
●  Boat deck
●  Port storage
●  Handicrafts

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