122 THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES OF WOOD. 



Teak. Teclona grandis. 



Nomenclature. 



Teak. Teek. 



Indian Oak. Sagwan. 



Locality. 



India, Burma, Siam, Ceylon. 



Features of Tree. 



Eighty to one hundred feet in height, three to four feet in 

 diameter, sometimes larger. Straight trunk, large drooping 

 deciduous leaves. Unsuccessful in California 



Color, Appearance, or Grain of Wood. 



Variable, brownish-yellow, straight, even-grained. 



Structural Qualities of Wood. 



Moderately hard, strong, easily worked, stands well, oily, 

 fragrant, resists termites, preserves iron. 



Representative Uses of W'ood. 



Furniture, ship-building, timbers, backing for armor-plates. 



Weight of Seasoned Wood in Pounds per Cubic Foot. 

 50 (Laslett). 



Modulus of Elasticity. 

 1,338,000 (Lazlett). 

 2,100,000 (Thurston). 



Modulus of Rupture. 

 15,000 (Thurston). 



Remarks. 



The oil is thought to preserve iron and repel termites. Burma, 

 Malabar, Rangoon, and other teaks take names from districts 

 producing them. The distinct African teak (Oldfieldia afri- 

 cand] affords wood sometimes marketed as African mahog- 

 any and sometimes as African oak. 



There are many rosewoods. African rosewood is derived from Pterocarpus 

 erinaceus, Brazilian rosewood from Dalbergia nigra, Indian rosewood from 

 Dalbergia latifolia, Jamaica rosewood from Amyris balsamifera and Linociera 

 ligustrina, and Canary rosewood from Convolvulus scoparius. There is a faulty 

 purplish Philippine wood as well as other botanical sources in each one of the 

 districts noted. Commercial rosewood is hard, tough, very fine-grained and of 

 compact structure. The colors vary from rich reds to chestnut, with frequent 

 black streaks or purplish effects. The demand is small. The wood has been 

 used in local constructions, but is normally seen in costly furniture, piano cases, 

 burial caskets and panel work. Compartment rare sometimes have " rosewood 

 rooms" associated with other rooms of Circassian walnut and English oak. 

 There are other names for Rosewood, as Blackwood, Bloodwood, and African 

 Teak. The name Rosewood is due to the rose scent, often faint, but sometimes 

 very pronounced. An oil distilled from one species has been used to adulterate 

 attar of roses. " California rosewood " seen in souvenirs is derived from stems 

 of large rose bushes. 



