Pericopsis elata
Specifications
Family
Fabaceae
Species
Pericopsis elata (Harms) Meeuwen
african teak
afromosia
satinwood
Description
The sapwood is yellowish-white and the heartwood is golden-brown. The texture is fine, the grain interwoven, and the density varies between 0.66 and 0.86. The mechanical strength is good and the durability is excellent, especially the heartwood.
Plant morphology
It is a large tree, up to 50 meters tall, with an erect, columnar trunk covered in grayish-brown bark. It has odd-pinnate, alternate leaves. The small, pinkish-purple flowers, darker in the center, are borne in inflorescences at the leaf axils. The fruit is a legume.
Natural occurrence
Countries of origin and distribution
Tropical West Africa: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Ghana.
Habitat and ecology
It grows in flat, marshy, or disturbed areas. It occurs in areas with annual rainfall between 1000 and 1500 mm. It is a gregarious or semi-gregarious pioneer species.
Uses
Use class
CU1
CU2
CU3
CU4
CU5
Application areas
It is used in load-bearing structures of civil, road and hydraulic constructions, flooring and interior furnishings.
Threats and Conservation
Threats
Its conservation is seriously threatened by unsustainable logging (internationally traded) and habitat destruction. At current levels of logging, natural regeneration is insufficient to replace lost populations. It is currently near extinction in Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic.
Conservation measures
Listed in Appendix II of CITES, its export and import require specific licenses. In some areas, stem diameter limits have been introduced, below which cutting is prohibited. Conservation requires implementing practices aimed at increasing population regeneration rates, preventing illegal harvesting, and preserving the habitat.
IUCN Red List
IUCN
EN - Endangered - At risk of extinction
CITES. Year of assessment
CITES
2020
1975
2050
CITES Italia • Ultimo aggiornamento
2020
Appendix II
Technical data
Aesthetic characteristics
Grain
Obvious
Texture
Fine
Physical and mechanical properties
Density
ρ
ρ
740
kg/m3
Radial shrinkage
Rad. sh.
Rad. sh.
32
MPa
Tangential shrinkage
Tang. sh.
Tang. sh.
59
MPa
Bending strength
M.O.R.
M.O.R.
93
MPa
Modulus of Elasticity
M.O.E.
M.O.E.
13140
MPa
Durability characteristics
Fungal resistance
Very durable
Insect resistance
Resistant
Miscellaneous
Given its state of conservation in nature, the use of this wood should be avoided.