Millettia laurentii
Flowering wenge tree
The Wenge ( Millettia laurentii ) is a species in the subfamily of the Fabaceae ( Faboideae ) within the legume family ( Fabaceae ). In the home countries of the trivial name palissandre du Congo, Awong and Mundambi be used.
Description
Millettia laurentii is growing (but usually less) achieved as a medium-sized tree, the growth heights of up to 20 meters and trunk diameter of 60 to 100 centimeters. The most crooked trunk is usually free of branches up to a height of 15 meters. The bark is smooth and gray with visible lenticels; injuries occur from a red liquid. The alternate arranged leaves are pinnate.
The flowers are borne in terminal inflorescences. The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and fünfzählig double perianth. The five sepals are brown hairy. The five petals are white to purple. The young legumes are green with brown hair.
Dissemination
The Wenge is native to the tropical rainforests of Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Hazard and status
The species is considered endangered ( EN A1cd ) The main causes are habitat destruction and especially excessive logging.
Use
The wood has a narrow, gray-white sapwood, sharply separated from light to dark brown core, which darkens strong and a coffee-brown to black color takes. The color may fade with prolonged exposure to sunlight again. The dry density is about 0.75 to 0.79 g / cm ³, the apparent density is about 0.75 to 0.95 g / cm ³. Moderate shrinkage. Planing surfaces have a matt finish. It is hard, heavy, elastic and weatherproof and is used in furniture and interior design, doors, stairs and as parquet, also for turnery and carving, as well as fingerboard for example, for Guitars. Also for inlaid wenge is a (wood) diamond and as one of the finest woods in the world in high demand. It can be worked well, tends at irregular grain, however, to splinter.
Health
Splinters of wood Wenge cause human skin inflammation, the wood dust can cause skin irritation and stomach cramps.