Doussie

Origin: Gabon

Latin name.
Afzelia africana Smith, A bipindensis Harms, A . pachyloba Harms

Natural vegetation area.
It is a very large area since it includes the forest area and the neighbouring savannahs extending from Sierra Leone to Angola. Afzelia quanzensis grows in Mozambique and Tanzania.

TRUNK CHARACTERISTICS.
The tree can be very big, with height up to 40 m, and 1.20 m diameter at breast height. The basal buttresses are quite small, and above them the trunk is generally rather straight and regular.

WOOD APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS.
The wood of the first two species, commercially known as red Doussie or real Doussie, is the finest one: it features a thin greyish sapwood, which can be clearly distinguished from the heartwood, which is darkish when it is fresh, but then becomes reddish. The wood of the third species has a large yellowish or golden sap, fading into the dark brown/yellowish heart: it is called yellow Doussie or fake Doussie: the wood of A. quanzensis is similar to the wood of A. pachyloba.

Specific weight.
In the fresh condition 1,100 kg/m³ on average; after normal seasoning 820 kg/m³.

Histological structure.
Coarse texture; irregular grain, often cross-grain.

Shrinkage.
Exceptionally low, a feature that makes this wood particularly dimensionally stable.

Mechanical characteristics.
Axial compression strength 75 N/mm² on average; bending strength 140N/mm²; high hardness; the impact behaviour is from medium to good.

Modulus of elasticity.
13.800 N/mm²

Most frequent structural defects and alteration.
In addition to the often irregular grain, it is worth pointing out the frequent presence of cracks and gaps within the trunks, full of formations or dust varying in colour from white to citrine yellow.

Durability.
The sapwood is perishable due to fungi and insects, whereas the heartwood is highly resistant to alteration, although a certain variability from species to species and according to the wood origin can be recorded.
Size of the traded material.

 

Texts taken from: “Manuale tecnico del legno”, FNALA CNA LEGNO LEGNO, by Prof. Ing. Guglielmo Giordano.

 

Species available for the following products: