Lophira alata
Specifications
Family
Ochnaceae
Species
Lophira alata Banks ex C.F. Gaertn.
ironwood
red ironwood
azobe
Description
The sapwood is thin, pinkish or brownish, while the heartwood is reddish-brown to purplish, coarsely textured, and has a dense grain. The density ranges from 0.95 to 1.15. Drying must be carried out with care, as warping and cracking are very common; working is also difficult due to its hardness. The heartwood has excellent mechanical strength and durability, while the sapwood is rapidly attacked by fungi.
Plant morphology
It is a medium-sized tree, up to 25 m tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 70 cm. The bark is grayish and tends to flake, with a reddish-yellow interior. The leaves are simple, alternate, borne at the apex of the branches, deciduous, oblong-lanceolate, and bearing winged stipules. The inflorescence is terminal, pyramidal, composed of small, white, five-petalled flowers. The fruit is a woody, conical achene.
Natural occurrence
Countries of origin and distribution
Tropical West Africa: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo.
Habitat and ecology
A pioneer species, it is relatively abundant at the edge of the rainforest up to 1,500 m above sea level.
Uses
Use class
CU1
CU2
CU3
CU4
CU5
Application areas
It is used in shipbuilding, port construction, hydraulic engineering, railway sleepers, mine supports, cabinetry, and ornaments. It is considered a highly prized wood for boat hulls and parts subject to high stress (fenders, dock frames, mooring bollards, etc.).
Technical data
Aesthetic characteristics
Grain
Obvious
Texture
Coarse
Physical and mechanical properties
Density
ρ
ρ
1060
kg/m3
Radial shrinkage
Rad. sh.
Rad. sh.
73
MPa
Tangential shrinkage
Tang. sh.
Tang. sh.
103
MPa
Bending strength
M.O.R.
M.O.R.
162
MPa
Modulus of Elasticity
M.O.E.
M.O.E.
21420
MPa
Durability characteristics
Fungal resistance
Durable
Insect resistance
Resistant
Miscellaneous
Given the conservation status of the species in nature, the use of this wood should be avoided.