Timber yielding plants

From time immemorial food, clothing, and shelter have been the three great necessities of mankind. Wood is the most familiar and most important forest product.

Wood has contributed a lot to the advancement of civilization. Today, wood is the most widely used commodity other than food and clothing. It is one of the most important and versatile raw materials in the industry.

Some common source of wood and their types are discussed briefly in this article.

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1. Tectona grandis

Family name: Verbenaceae

Bengali name: Shegun (সেগুন)

English name: Teak

Wood Character:

• One of the outstanding timbers.
• Wood is golden yellow when freshly cut, and generally turns darker with age.
• Wood is moderately hard, oily, scented, strong, extremely durable, takes an excellent polish, and doesn’t corrode in contact with metal.
• Heartwood is resistant to white ants.

Uses:

• Wood is widely used for construction work, shipbuilding, best-class furniture, cabinet work, musical instruments, bridge construction, plywood, blackboards, etc.

 

2. Shorea robusta

Family name: Dipterocarpaceae

Bengali name: Shal/Gojari (শাল)

English name: Sal

Wood Character:

• Wood is light brown to reddish-brown, hard, coarse, and durable.
• Resistant to the attack of white ants.

Uses:

• Wood is in great demand for pit props, bridge construction, railway sleepers, piles, electric pools, boat making, furniture, carriages, carts, cartwheels, etc.
• An oleoresin, obtained from the bark is used in paints, varnishes, carbon papers, typewriter ribbons, etc.

 

3. Swietenia mahagoni

Family name: Meliaceae

Bengali name: Mehogoni (মেহগনি)

English name: The Mahogany

Wood Character:

• Wood is reddish-brown, hard, and extremely strong.
• It takes a good polish.

Uses:

• It is widely used in making furniture, shipbuilding, boat making, floorings, and aircraft.

 

4. Albizia lucida

Family name: Mimosaceae

Bengali name: Shil koroi (শিল কড়ই)

English name: Parrot tree

Wood Character:

• Wood is brown, hard, and durable.

Uses:

• Wood is used for making furniture, boat making, agricultural implements, construction work, cart and cart accessories, paneling, decorative works, etc.

 

5. Dalbergia sissoo

Family name: Fabaceae

Bengali name: Shishu

English name: Sissoo

Wood Character:

• Wood is heavy, hard, very strong, and very durable.
• The wood dries up easily.

Uses:

• Used for very high-class furniture, cabinet work, construction, musical instruments, boat building, picture frames, cricket stumps, and printing blocks.

 

6. Artocarpus heterophyllus

Family name: Moraceae

Bengali name: Kathal

English name: Jack fruit

Jackfruit. Source: Adobestock

Wood Character:

• The wood is golden-yellow to deep brownish.
• It is moderately hard, firm, durable and resistant to white ants.
• It takes a beautiful polish.

Uses:

• Wood is used for high-class furniture, cabinet work, house building, toys, turnery, carving, and musical instruments.

 

7. Artocarpus chaplasha

Family name: Moraceae

Bengali name: Chapalish

English name: Chapalash

Wood Character:

• The wood is brown to light yellowish.
• Moderately hard, heavy, strong, and durable.

Uses:

• Extensively used for shipbuilding, dug-outs, oars, cheap furniture, window frames, doors, boxes, carving, and general carpentry.

8. Gmelina arborea

Family name: Verbenaceae

Bengali name: Gamari

English name: Comb tree/Gambar tree

Wood Character:

• Wood is light red, yellow, or grey.
• It is moderately heavy, strong, and very durable, and is one of the best timbers.
• Wood takes a good polish.

Uses:

• Wood is used for planking, furniture, shipbuilding, boat decking, paneling, carving, printing blocks, carriages, agricultural implements, picture frames, match sticks, matchboxes, and a variety of other purposes.

 

9. Heritiera fomes

Family name: Sterculiaceae

Bengali name: Shundori

English name: The Sundri

Wood Character:

• Wood is very hard, unbreakable but more or less elastic.
• It takes a beautiful polish.
• Wood is not attacked by white ants and is water resistant.

Uses:

• Used as pile wood, in boat making, carriage building, for oars, helms, masts, cart axles, agricultural implements, furniture, tool handles, railway keys, and in general construction works.

 

10. Dipterocarpus turbinatus

Family name: Dipterocarpaceae

Bengali name: Gorjan

English name: Gurjan balsam

Wood Character:

• Wood is reddish-brown, moderately hard, and durable.

Uses:

• Wood is widely used for boat-building, internal construction works, doors, packing cases, tea chests, railway sleepers, planking, dug-outs, carriage, and wagon construction.

 

11. Chukrasia tabularis

Family name: Meliaceae

Bengali name: Chikrashi

English name: White cedar/Chittagong wood

Wood Character:

• Wood is reddish-brown, hard, close-grained, richly veit1ed.
• Wood is heavy, hard, and has high strength.
• Takes a fine-lasting polish.

Uses:

• One of the finest woods for ornamental veneers, high-class furniture, railway carriages, piano cases, paneling, carving, building purposes, and aircraft propellers.

 

12. Syzygium cumini

Family name: Myrtaceae

Bengali name: Jam

English name: Blackberry

Wood Character:

• Wood is pale reddish-grey to brownish-grey, moderately hard, and fairly durable even under water.
• It takes a very attractive polish.

Uses:

• Wood is extensively used for house building, posts, beams, solid cart wheels, boat building, oars, masts of boats, agricultural implements, carving, turnery, and furniture.

 

13. Azadirachta indica

Family name: Meliaceae

Bengali name: Neem

English name: Neem/Neem tree

Wood Character:

• Wood is durable, and takes a good polish.
• Resistant to white ants.

Uses:

• Wood is used for making furniture, musical instruments, frame of doors and windows, cigar boxes, and agricultural implements.

 

14. Bombax ceiba

Family name: Bombacaceae

Bengali name: Shimul

English name: Silkwood

Wood Character:

• Wood is soft, light, and perishable.

Uses:

• Mainly used for match boxes and match splints, but also has great demand for packing cases, toys, second-grade pencils, planking, and drums.

 

15. Anthocephalus chinensis

Family name: Rubiaceae

Bengali name: Kadam

English name: Kadam

Wood Character:

• Wood is soft, yellowish-white, and not durable.
• It is light to moderately heavy.

Uses:

• Mainly used for packing cases, matchboxes, and match splints.
• They are also used for carving, turnery, veneering, tea chests, toys, and slate frames.

 

16. Excoecaria agallocha

Family name: Euphorbiaceae

Bengali name: Gewa

English name: Blinding tree

Wood Character:

• Wood is white, very soft, light, and spongy.
• It is not durable.

Uses:

• Mainly used for pulp in newsprint manufacture.
• Also useful for making toys and cheap furniture.