Identification And Utilization Of Lesser-Known Commercial Timbers In Peninsular Malaysia 9: Mempoyan, Mengkirai, Mengkundor And Mentulang

I his article elaborates further another four lesser known timbers. The tree of Mempoyan is small to medium in size up to 25 m tall and 50 cm diameter. The trees are usually found in secondary and lowland forest, sometimes up to 1400 m altitude. The timber is very hard and heavy (comparable with balau) and suitable for structural use, heavy traffic flooring and possibly tool handles and handles for agricultural implements. Mengkirai is also made up of small to medium-sized trees. It is one of the most abundant genera of open sites and is always growing gregariously. The timber is light and soft and possible uses include picture frames, skirting, laminated timber, boxes and crates and other light utility purposes. The trees of mengkundor can grow to very large tree of 45 m tall and 4 m girth on low lying and undulating lands. The occurrence of the species is more or less restricted to regions with pronounced dry season e.g. Langkawi island, Kedah, Perlis, North Perak. Kelantan and Pahang. The timber is generally light and soft and may be used for picture frames, skirting, laminated timber, boxes and crates and other light utility purposes. Mentulang consists of small to medium-sized trees except A. ridleyi which is a big tree reaching 3t> m tall and 183 cm girth. The trees are found scattered on lowland forests and undulating land and hills up to 140 m and rarely at higher elevation. The wood is moderate!}' hard and heavy (comparable with kerning). The timber can be used for medium construction under cover, furniture and cabinet works, medium traffic flooring, tool handles and panelling. Generally, in the utilization of lesser-known timbers, common features encountered include small-sized logs, logs in poor form and limited in supply and as such, the recover}7 of the log is usually poor. Maximum utilization of the timber includes lamination and finger-jointing of the timber.