Ironwood

Ironwood
Erythrophloeum fordii Oliver
Family: Fabaceae beans
Order: Fabales Beans

Describe:
Gemu in Chinese. Large tree, 20 - 25m high, 70 - 90cm diameter. Round stem, thick, spreading foliage. The outer bark is reddish brown with many pores. When old, large scales fall off; Twice-pinnate compound leaves, 3 - 4 pairs of secondary stalks, each stalk has 9 - 13 small leaves, growing in an oval shape, with a pointed tip and rounded tail, veins clearly visible on both sides. Inflorescences are double, 20 - 30cm long. Flowers are many small, yellow-white. Sepal 5 forms a bell with 5 lobes. Corolla branch 5 is narrow and long. Stamens 10, bulbs attached at the base of the calyx. The oblong fruit is about 20cm long and 3 - 4cm wide. The seeds are flat, dark brown in color, have circular grooves around the seeds, and are arranged together.

Distribution:
The tree grows in many provinces in the North such as Lang Son, Vinh Phu, Bac Thai, Ha Bac, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri...

Ecological:
Young trees that like shade only regenerate well in shady forests with moderate light. The plant prefers clay soil or deep, thick clay loam. Capable of regenerating shoots, but poor growth.

Uses:
The wood has light gray sapwood, early wood is yellow-brown, late wood is yellow-black, and the core when first cut is yellow-green and later turns dark brown. The wood is slightly iridescent, has rough chips, and has twisted and diagonal grain. Density 0.947 (15% water). Tensile force across grain 29kg/cm2, compression force along grain 608kg/cm2, buckling force 1,546kg/cm2, shrinkage coefficient 0.47 - 0.61. Precious wood is very durable, used in architecture, construction of irrigation works, bridges, boats, flooring, sleepers, and household decorations.

Referenced documents : Economic wood trees - Tran Hop, Nguyen Boi Quynh - page 276.