The orange or golden yellow heartwood darkens on expo-
sure to air and is clearly defined from the whitish or pale
yellow sapwood. The texture is rather coarse, and the grain
is usually interlocked or irregular. The density of air-dried
wood (752 kg m–3 (47 lb ft–3)) is about the same as that of
true hickory (Carya), but strength properties are somewhat
lower. Quartersawn stock dries rapidly with little checking
or warp, but flat-sawn lumber may develop considerable
degrade. The wood works moderately well with hand and
machine tools. It also glues and finishes satisfactorily. The
heartwood is rated as very resistant to decay and moder-
ately resistant to termite attacks. The sapwood is permeable
to preservatives, but the heartwood is moderately resistant
to preservative treatment.
Opepe is a general construction wood that is used in dock
and marine work, boat building, railroad crossties, flooring,
and furniture.
Ossol
(see Manni)
Otie
(see Ilomba)
Ovangkol
(see Benge)
Palosapis
(see Mersawa)
Para-Angelim
(see Sucupira)
Pau Marfim
The range of pau marfim
(Balfourodendron riede‑
lianum) is rather limited,
extending from the State
of Sao Paulo, Brazil, into
Paraguay and the provinces
of Corrientes and Missio-
nes of northern Argentina.
In Brazil, it is generally
known as pau marfim and in Argentina and Paraguay, as
guatambu.
In color and general appearance, pau marfim wood is very
similar to birch (Betula) or sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
sapwood. Although growth rings are present, they do not
show as distinctly as those in birch and maple. There is no
apparent difference in color between heartwood and sap-
wood. The wood is straight grained and easy to work and
finish, but it is not considered resistant to decay. Average
density of air-dried wood is about 802 kg m–3 (50 lb ft–3).The wood is creamy white
to pale yellow with little
or no difference between
sapwood and heartwood.
The wood is fairly soft, of
uniform medium to coarse
texture, and the grain is
usually interlocked but
sometimes straight. Air-
dry wood weighs about 385 kg m–3 (24 lb ft–3). Obeche
dries readily with little degrade. It is not resistant to decay,
and green sapwood is subject to blue stain. The wood is
easy to work and machine, veneers and glues well, and
takes nails and screws without splitting.
The characteristics of obeche make it especially suitable for
veneer and corestock. Other uses include furniture, com-
ponents, millwork, blockboard, boxes and crates, particle-
board and fiberboard, patterns, and artificial limbs.
Ofram
(see Limba)
Okoume
The natural distribution of
okoume (Aucoumea klai‑
neana) is rather restricted;
the species is found only
in west-central Africa
and Guinea. However,
okoume is extensively
planted throughout its
natural range.The heartwood is salmon-pink in color, and the narrow
sapwood is whitish or pale gray. The wood has a high luster
and uniform texture. The texture is slightly coarser than that
of birch (Betula). The nondurable heartwood dries readily
with little degrade. Sawn lumber is somewhat difficult to
machine because of the silica content, but the wood glues,
nails, and peels into veneer easily. Okoume offers unusual
flexibility in finishing because the color, which is of me-
dium intensity, permits toning to either lighter or darker
shades.
In the United States, okoume is generally used for decora-
tive plywood paneling, general utility plywood, and doors.
Other uses include furniture components, joinery, and light
construction.
Opepe
Opepe (Nauclea dider‑
richii) is widely distrib-
uted in Africa from Sierra
Leone to the Congo region
and eastward to Uganda.
It is often found in pure
stands.General Technical Report FPL–GTR– 190