Abstract
Mozambique is a country with vast forestry resources that include native wood species with high commercial value. Thus, the trade of timber as raw material, as well as wooden finished products are commercial options of considerable valuable for the country. This work presents information about anatomical characteristics, physical and mechanical properties and use of some native wood species from Mozambique, namely, Afzelia quanzensis, Androstachys johnsonii, Erytrophleoum suaveolens, Khaya nyasica, Pterocarpus angolensis, Milletia stuhlmannii and the emerging lesser-known species Pericopsis angolensis, Sterculia appendiculata and Sterculia quinqueloba. The study concludes that these Mozambican wood species are similar in several aspects. They are generally described as very hard, dense, having high mechanical strength and durable. The study also concludes that although the lesser-known wood species, S. quinqueloba, has similar properties to the traditionally used one, A. quanzensis, it is less used because of its poorly known properties and potential uses. Thus, further research to determine the properties and suitable end uses of other lesser know species is likely to be beneficial to the country.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), particularly its Department for Research Cooperation (SAREC) for funding the research project entitled “Improving Wood Utilisation in Mozambique” of which this study is a part. The authors would also like to thank the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) for providing this opportunity.
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Ali, A.C., Uetimane, E., Lhate, I.A. et al. Anatomical characteristics, properties and use of traditionally used and lesser-known wood species from Mozambique: a literature review. Wood Sci Technol 42, 453–472 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-008-0186-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-008-0186-5