VERBENA FAMILY (VERBENACEAE) 



229. Teca, teak 



Teak, wliicli has been introduced sparingly in 

 plantations for its valuable timber and for or- 

 nament and sliade, is easily identified by its huge 

 elliptic opposite leaves 1'2-15 inches long and 9-10 

 inches broad or larger, by its stout 4-angled twigs 

 and few coarse branches, and by tlie bronze-col- 

 ored young leaves which jneld a reddish juice 

 when cruslied. The numerous small whitish flow- 

 ers 14 inch long and % inch across the 6 spreading 

 corolla lobes are borne in very large flower clus- 

 ters. An enlarged thin egg-shaped calyx about 1 

 inch across encloses the fruit, which is a light 

 brown ball about V^ inch in diameter. 



In its native home this is a large tree to 150 feet 

 tall, often with buttressed or fluted trunk. Trees 

 of plantations in Puerto Rico have grown to 60 

 feet in height and 1 foot in trunk diameter within 

 20 years. They are deciduous. The light brown 

 bark is much fissured and scaly and I/2 i'^^'^ <^r 

 more in thickness. Inner bark is soft, whitish, and 

 almost tasteless. The spreading branches form 

 an open ci'own of light gray twigs and few very 

 large leaves. Young green twigs, foliage, and 

 flower clusters are covered with fine gray-green 

 star-shaped hairs. 



Leaves are stalkless or short-petioled, mostly 

 short-pointed at botli apex and base, thickened, 

 leathery, and harsh, the upper surface green and 

 rough, and the lower surface light green and soft 

 hairy. Very large leaves measure as much as 2 

 feet long and 16 inches broad. 



Flower clusters (panicles) are terminal, erect 

 and branched, about 1V2~2 feet long and broad. 

 The finely hairy flowers have a bell-shaped 6- 

 lobed gray calyx; the funnel-shaped whitish co- 

 rolla has a short tube and 6 spreading lobes; 6 

 stamens are inserted on corolla tube; and the pis- 

 til has a 4-celled ovary, slender style, and 2-lobed 

 stigma. 



The light brown, finely hairy ball fruit (drupe) 

 has a hard stone containing 4 or fewer seeds y^ 

 inch long (600 fruits to the pound). Recorded in 

 flower from August to December and with fruits 

 persisting nearly through the year. 



The sapwood is yellowish or whitish. The heart- 

 wood is olive green when freshly cut, turning 

 golden brown upon seasoning. The wood is mod- 



Tectona grandis L. f.* 



erately hard, moderately heavy (specific gravity 

 0.5.5), strong, fine-textured, straight-grained, and 

 has distinct annual growth rings, oily feel, and 

 characteristic fragrance when fi-eshly cut. Air- 

 seasoning is rapid with minor amount of degrade 

 and with low, uniform shrinkage. Machining 

 characteristics are as follows: planing, shaping, 

 boring, mortising, and resistance to screw split- 

 ting are good; turning is excellent; and sanding 

 is very poor. The wood works easily but contains 

 silica which dulls cutting edges. The heartwood 

 is very resistant to attack by dry-wood termites, 

 moderately resistant to subterranean termites, and 

 very durable in the ground. However, the sap- 

 wood is susceptible to attack by termites and is 

 not durable. 



Teak, one of the world's best known and most 

 valuable timbers, is important in shipbuilding, 

 particularly for decking. Its many other uses in- 

 clude fine furniture, flooring, joinery, interior 

 trim, frames, doors, paneling, carvings, turnery, 

 tanks and vats, and laboratory fixtures. Thin- 

 nings from plantations serve for posts and furni- 

 ture. 



Trees are cultivated occasionally in tropical 

 countries as ornamentals for the large leaves and 

 spreading flower clusters. In Puerto Rico small 

 experimental plantations have been made on Gov- 

 ernment forests to determine the practicability of 

 growing teak commercially. The tree is well 

 adapted to deep soils at low elevation. 



Grown experimentally or for ornament at low 

 elevations in Puerto Rico and in St. Croix and 

 Tortola. 



Public forests. — Cambalache, Carite, Guaja- 

 taca, Luquillo, Rio Abajo. 



Range. — Native of southern Asia from India 

 to Malaya. Introduced and naturalized in Philip- 

 pines and Java. Planted for timljer or ornament 

 and in botanical gardens in various tropical areas 

 including the AVest Indies from Cuba and Jamaica 

 to Trinidad and from Panama to Brazil. Grown 

 in southern Florida. 



Other common names. — teca (Spanish) ; teak 

 (United States, English); teck (Guadeloupe, 

 French) . 



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