Scientific name:
Microberlinia brazzavillensis

Other names:
Allen ele
Amouk
African zebrawood
Allen ele
Enuk-enug
Izingana
Zebrano
Zingana

This species is reported to be relatively abundant, with little or no threat to its population within its natural growth range. Trunk diameters are reported to be about 48 to 60 inches (120 to 150 cm). The trees commonly have very thick barks, which are transferred at felling sites. The trees are reported to be hard to harvest because they could grow to very large sizes and are frequently located in inaccessible areas. Harvesting difficulties and the need for quarter sawing, rather than the more economical plain sawing, are reported to add to the overall cost of the timber.

Weight:
Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) about 0.70; air-dry density 53 pcf.

Use:
Decorative veneers, turnery. Because of high toughness, used in ski manufacture, tool handles, etc.

General characteristic:
Heartwood pale yellow brown with narrow darker streaks, striping pattern varies considerably; sapwood white up to 4 in. wide, distinct. Texture medium to coarse; grain usually wavy or interlocked; lustrous; unpleasant odor disappears after drying.

Working properties:
Saws moderately well, a clean smooth finish is occasionally hard to obtain with machine or hand planing, tearing of interlocked grain; effective gluing properties, veneers need careful handling to avoid cracking.

Drying and shrinkage:
Difficult to season without warping, should be quarter sawn to minimize degrade. Kiln schedule T2-C2 is suggested for 4/4 stock and T2-C1 for 8/4. Shrinkage green to oven dry: radial 6.8%; tangential 1.5% volumetric 16.5%

Durability:
The wood is reported to be resistant to termites, but is susceptible to occasional pinhole borer attack. The heartwood is reported to be extremely resistant to preservative treatment. The sapwood is treatable. Heartwood is long-lived and resistant to termite attack; sapwood permeable.