:o7 



tinct and often very broad about 1 5 to an inch, the pores are large 

 and few scattered, the rays waved rather conspicuous and much 

 broken up. 



Rather an ornamental wood, the rings of darker coloured wood 

 alternating with softer paler tissue. Weight 27tbs. to 37tbs. 8 ozs. 



M. Kemanga Bl. Kemang. 

 A vast tree, with a perfectly straight stem and a large crown of 

 foliage. 



The wood is pinkish in colour turning brown with age and has 

 the same few large pores and distinct rather distant rings of 

 M. Coes/a, but the rays are more obscure. It appears to be a 

 belter class of wood being more compact and firmer. The resin is 

 acrid and injurious to cutters, like that of the Rengas. Weight 32 

 lbs. 10 ozs. 



M. sp, M'bachang hutan, Medangkok. 



This appears to be some species of mangifera, but from what 

 tree it is obtained is not known Its timber is not very hard but 

 is valued lor planking, boxes, etc. It is of a bright canary yellow 

 when fresh becoming brown after exposure. It has rather large 

 scanty pores two or three together, the rays are fine and the rings 

 usually indistinct. It is rather a light wood. Weight Selangor 

 specimen 21 lbs. 4 ozs. Johor, 20 lbs. 15 ozs. 31 lbs. 8 ozs , 42 lbs. 

 12 ozs., Sumatran Medangkok 61 lbs. 



Melannorliea Maingayi, Hook fil. Rengas Manau, Straits Mahogany. 



Avery large tree with white flowers and curious red fruit with five 

 winglike petals. The name Rengas is applied to a number of 

 allied plants, besides the Melannorheas of which there are here, 7 

 species, the various species of Gliita and Parishias being also called 

 Rengas. Tiie timber known as Rengas in trade here is, however, 

 M. Maingayi. It is common all over the south of the Peninsula 

 and in Sumatra, but in the north is replaced by M. Curtisii, which 

 has smaller fruit with narrower wings. 



The tree has a considerable proportion of soft yellowish white 

 Sapwood, the heartwood is heavy and fairly hard dark red in 

 colour of rather coarse texture, with distinct often broad darker 

 coloured rings sometimes nearly black, the pores are large and 

 scattered not numerous, the rays very fine and obscure. In young 

 wood and sapwood the pores are encircled by lighter coloured 

 tissue. 



The wood is very handsome and valued for furniture building, 

 etc. It has the disadvantage, however, of possessing much of the 

 black caustic resin which is very poisonous, and gives rise to what 

 is known as Rengas poisoning in those who cut the tree, and the 

 same effects are said to be produced in many persons by use of 

 furniture made from it, even long after the wood has been worked 

 up. For beams it is durable and not attacked by termites. Indeed 

 it is common after felling the tree to leave it lying in the jungle 

 till the sapwood is destroyed by termites and decay when the 

 hard and durable heartwood is uninjured by them. 



