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Below is a list of tree species in the Liberian rain forest ( click image for more details on a specific wood )
<ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Mammea africana</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Irvingiaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Bompegya (Ghana), Kaikumba/Oboto (Liberia, Sierra Leone), Ologbomodu (Nigeria), Aborzok (Cameroon), Bokoli (Zaire)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Found in mixed deciduous forests from Sierra Leone to Angola and Zaire, prefers rather wet environment and sometimes forms small stands on flood plains.</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - Heartwood dark red or red-brown, darkening to a mahogany color; sapwood light or pink-brown, well demarcated. Specked with horizontal gum ducts. Texture somewhat coarse; grain straight to interlocked; without luster; odor or taste nor characteristic.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Heavy, with air-dry density of 769 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Durable; heartwood is reported to have good decay resistance but is moderately susceptible to termite attack</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - Mammea africana is found throughout Liberia, scattered through the high forest both dry and moist evergreen forest.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Saws cleanly and works well but mineral matter in the vessels tends to blunt cutters. Appreciable quantities of gum are exuded if veneers are hot-pressed into plywood. Takes a fine finish.</li> <li><b>USES</b> - Furniture components, joinery, millwork, general carpentry. Considered as a mahogany substitute </li> </ul>

Mammea africana

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Mansonia altissima</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Sterculiaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Aprono (Ghana), Bété (Ivory Coast), Ofun (Nigeria), Koul (Cameroon)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Occurs in Ivory Coast, Ghana, and southern Nigeria</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The heartwood varies from a light to dark gray-brown, frequently with a purplish cast, often shows alternating lighter and darker bands; texture fine and uniform; grain generally straight: luster is low</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Moderately heavy, with air-dry density of 592kg/m3</li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Heartwood is highly durable, highly resistant to termite attack</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Medium</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Comparatively Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - Extremely rare in Liberia Only once found on the eastern slopes of the ridge in the Gio National Forest</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Works easily with hand and machine tools with little dulling of cutters, has good nailing and gluing properties</li> <li><b>USES</b> - High quality cabinet and furniture work, joinery, turnery, decorative veneers. Bark contains a cardiac poison of the digitalis group. Used as an alternative for walnut</li> </ul>

Mansonia altissima

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Nauclea diderrichii</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Rubiaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Kusia (Ghana), Badi (Ivory Coast), Bilinga (Gabon), Akondoc (Cameroon), N'Gulu-maza (Zaire), Kilingi (Uganda)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - The tree is widely distributed from Sierra Leone to the Congo region and eastward to Uganda </li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The heartwood is a uniform and rather distinctive yellow or orange-brown; the pale colored sapwood is distinctly defined; texture is coarse; luster medium; grain is usually interlocked and irregular, producing a variety of patterns on quartered surfaces.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Moderately heavy, with air-dry density of 752 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - The heartwood is very durable and moderately resistant to preservative treatment</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - Found in all forest parts of Liberia. Most abundant in the drier forest zone of Liberia</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Bilinga is reported to work with moderate ease in most machining operations, but irregularity of grain is likely to cause difficulty in planning operations</li> <li><b>USES</b> - Exterior and interior constructional work, flooring, cabinet work, fittings, railway sleepers, harbour works, sliced veneers, machine parts, wagon bottoms, turnery and transmission poles. Locally, it is also used for mortars, canoes, bridges and tables</li> </ul>

Nauclea diderrichii
<ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Nesogordonia papaverifera</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Sterculiaceae </li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Kotibé (Ivory Coast), Otutu (Nigeria), Owoé (Cameroon), Arborbora (Gabon), Kondofindo (Zaire), Naouya (Angola), Abumana, Akumaba, Epro (Ghana)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - From Sierra Leone to Cameroon and northern Gabon</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - Heartwood reddish-brown; sharply defined from 5-6 cm. wide lighter-colored sapwood. Texture is fine and even; grain narrowly interlocked producing a stripe figure; medium luster; without characteristic odor or taste.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Heavy, with air-dry density of 800 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Heartwood is durable and fairly resistant to termite attack</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - The tree also grows in dry semi-deciduous but frequent in the moist evergreen forest zone of Liberia.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Works well with hand and machine cools.</li> <li><b>USES</b> - General construction, floors, joinery, turnery, boatbuilding, tool handles, gunstocks, plywood, utility cross-arms, furniture </li> </ul>

Nesogordonia papaverifera

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Oldfieldia africana</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Euphorbiaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Dantoure (Ivory Coast), Kpaoli, Pauli (Liberia), Kpaoli, Pauli, Turtosa (S/ Leone)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - Heartwood is brown or reddish brown, and the sapwood is grayish olive, not sharply demarcated, and sometimes with a greenish stain; luster is rather low; wood has a slightly bitter taste; texture is medium fine and the grain is irregular, often interlocked.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Very heavy, with air-dry density of 993 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - The wood is reported to be highly durable and immune to attack by shipworms</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - It grows throughout Liberia, scattered or in groups, most abundant in north western forest parts of Liberia.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - The timber is difficult to work when it is dry, but it finishes smoothly.</li> <li><b>USES</b> - It is used locally for keelsons for boats and is suitable for constructions subjected to water, such as bridges, bridge floor planking, and floodgates</li> </ul>

Oldfieldia africana

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Ongokea gore</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Olacaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Kouéro (Ivory Coast), Andjek, Angueuk (Gabon, Cameroon), Boleko (Zaire).</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Occurs in south weatern Liberia and from the Ivory Coast to the Belgian Congo</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The heartwood is yellowish. The texture is moderately fine and homogeneous. The grain is somewhat interlocked, and the luster is moderately low</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.72; air-dry density 881 kg/m3. </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Durable; rarely attacked by termites</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - The tree be found in the southwestern part of Liberia but not in abundant</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Saws well but slowly, planes and machines well to a smooth finish, easy to glue, easy to slice into veneer.</li> <li><b>USES</b> - General carpentry work, joinery, flooring, veneer, turnery. Fruits are edible, kernels used for soap and lubricants.</li> </ul>

Ongokea gore
<ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Parinari excels</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Rosaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Sougue (Ivory Coast), Kpar, (Liberia), rough skin plum (English) Eshago, Inyi (Nigeria), Mubura (Uganda), Mampata (Senegal), Mula (Tanzania)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The sapwood is yellowish white with a fragrance of honey or beeswax when it is freshly cut; heartwood ranges in color from light pinkish or grayish brown to reddish or chocolate brown; little luster; texture is moderately coarse and the grain is almost always decidedly interlocked</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Moderately heavy, with air-dry density of 736 kg/m3</li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Heartwood is nondurable and liable to termite attack; reported to be resistant to marine borers</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Very large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - It grows throughout Liberia, scattered or in groups, most abundant in the drier forest parts of the country.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - The timber is difficult to work when it is dry, but it finishes smoothly</li> <li><b>USES</b> - It is used locally for keelsons for boats and is suitable for constructions subjected to water, such as bridges, bridge floor planking, and floodgates</li> </ul>

Parinari excels

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Parkia bicolor</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Leguminosae – Mimosaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Parcia, Fava bolota, Faverira, Auarango, Rayo, Tangama, Uya, Cascaron, Kwatakama</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - West Africa South of the Sahara and Central Africa</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - Heartwood is light brown with darker irregular streaks; sapwood is nearly white; texture is coarse, and the grain is straight or interlocked.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Light, with air-dry density of 464 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Non-durable</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Weak</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Comparatively large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - Can be found throughout Liberia but most abundant in the moist evergreen forest parts of the country.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - The timber is very easy to cut but it saws rather woolly, can be finished smoothly when it is dry.</li> <li><b>USES</b> - Formworks, boxes and crates, paneling, interior joinery, fiber or particle boards</li> </ul>

Parkia bicolor

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Pericopsis elata (formerly Afrormosia elata)</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Leguminosae – Ceasalpinniceae </li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Afromosia, Kokrodua (Ghana), Assamela (Ivory Coast), Obang (CAR), Obang (Cameroon)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Native to Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, and the Congo. The range of this species is rather extensive, but the principal production is limited to the boundary area of Ivory Coast and Ghana</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - Heartwood yellow-brown turning to a dark brown on exposure; sapwood narrow, lighter in color and clearly demarcated. Texture moderately fine; grain straight to interlock; some resemblance to teak</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - moderately heavy, with air-dry density of 689 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Heartwood is very durable and highly resistant to termite attack</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Comparatively Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - The tree is rarely found in other forest parts of Liberia but restricted to the Grebo forest bordering the Cote’d’voire.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - The wood is Rather difficult to saw and machine because of rapid dulling of saw teeth and cutters but works to a smooth finish; some tearing of grain on radial faces. Difficult to stain where pores contain yellow deposits</li> <li><b>USES</b> - Boatbuilding, joinery, flooring, furniture, decorative veneers, considered an excellent teak substitute</li> </ul>

Pericopsis elata
<ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Piptadeniastrum africanum </li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Caesalpinnaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Dahoma, Mbeli (Liberia), Dabéma (Ivory Coast), Dahoma (Ghana), Agboin, Ekhimi (Nigeria), Atui (Cameroon), Bokungu (Zaire), Mpewere (Uganda)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - West and East Africa from Senegal to Angola, the Congo region to Uganda </li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The Heartwood is light to golden-brown; sapwood wide, grayish to pale straw, distinct; texture coarse; grain broadly interlocked producing an attractive ribbon figure; moderate luster; may stain if in contact with iron under moist conditions.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Moderately Heavy, with air-dry density of 688 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - The Heartwood is durable, resistant to termite attack. Heartwood is resistant to preservative treatments; sapwood moderately resistant</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - One of the most common trees in Liberia; it can be found in all forest areas of the Country in good quantities.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - The wood is fairly easy to work with hand or machine tools, and it has only a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Saw teeth, however, are blunted rather rapidly because of the interlocked grain</li> <li><b>USES</b> - Heavy construction, railway, sleepers, bridges. Props, wharfs decking, flooring.</li> </ul>

Piptadeniastrum africanum

<ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Pterygota macrocarpa</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Sterculiaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Kyere, Awari, Okyere (Ghana), Koto (Ivory Coast), Poroposo, Kefe (Nigeria), Efok ayus (Cameroon), Ake (Gabon), Ofete (Benin), Kakende (CAR), Ikame (DRC)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - The tree is found throughout the Mixed deciduous forests of West Africa.</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - Wood pale yellow to a creamy-white with little difference between sapwood and heartwood. Texture rather coarse; grain straight to interlocked.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Moderately Heavy, with air-dry density of 590 kg/m3</li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Heartwood non-durable; liable to termite attack; sapwood liable to powder-post beetle attack.</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Medium</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - </li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Works fairly easily with hand and machine tools, a cutting angle of 20 degrees is suggested to reduce tearing of interlocked grain in planning, glues and nails satisfactorily, peels and slices into veneers satisfactorily.</li> <li><b>USES</b> - Furniture components, joinery, general carpentry, boxes and crates, plywood</li> </ul>

Pterygota macrocarpa

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Pycnanthus africanus</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Myristicaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Gboyei (Sierra Leone) Bassa WishmoreGboyei, Ilomba (Liberia), Akoua, Oualélé, Walele (Ivory Coast), Akomu (Nigeria), Angonga, Eteng (Cameroon), Aprokuma, Otie (Ghana), Ongabili (Gabon), Gongu (CAR), N’gongo (Angola), Mugongo (DRC), Anguekong (Equatorial Guinea)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - French Guinea and Sierra Leone through west tropical Africa lo Uganda and Angola</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The wood is a grayish-white to pinkish-brown, in some trees may be a uniform light brown; no distinction between heartwood and sapwood; texture is moderately coarse and even; luster is low; grain is generally straight</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Light, with air-dry density of 512 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Non-durable; easily attacked by insects and fungi</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Medium</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Comparatively Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - Found throughout Liberia, but it might be slightly more common in the moist semi-deciduous zone.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Saws easily and works well with hand and machine tools, excellent peeler, good gluing and nailing characteristics</li> <li><b>USES</b> - A general-utility timber, furniture components, interior joinery, plywood</li> </ul>

Pycnanthus africanus
<ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Rhodoguaphalon brevicuape</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Bombacaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Alone</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Throughout the west coast of Africa, Sierra Leone to Gabon</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The sapwood is wide and nearly white. The heart wood bright red when fresh, brown-red to brown-violet when dry. Growth rings are visible owing to the increased density of the pores. The wood is straight grained, medium soft.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - </li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - </li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - The tree grows in all forest parts of Liberia but preferable abundant in moist semi-deciduous and evergreen forest</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Medium soft and work readily with sharp tools</li> <li><b>USES</b> - Dye, canoes, boxwood, plywood, doweling and handles</li> </ul>

Rhodoguaphalon brevicuape

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Sacoglottis gabonensis</li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Humiriaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Akouapo, Tougbi (Ivory Coast), Atala, Tala, Ugu (Nigeria), Bedwa, Bidou, Bodoua (Cameroon), Essoua, Ozouga (Gabon), Ozouga (Ghana), Kpowuli (S/ Leone) </li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - Along the Gulf of Guinea, from Sierra Leone to Angola</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The heartwood is a reddish or purplish brown that becomes yellowish after long exposure to light. It has a moderate luster; the texture is medium and the grain is usually interlocked.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - Heavy, with air-dry density of 865 kg/m3</li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Durable; resistance to decay and wood borers </li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Moderately strong</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Large </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - The tree is evergreen; it is very common throughout Liberia</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - The timber is fairly easy to work, finishes smoothly, and can take a high polish.</li> <li><b>USES</b> - The wood is used locally for box lumber, planks, and timbers</li> </ul>

Sacoglottis gabonensis

 <ul> <li><b>SCIENTIFIC NAME</b> - Terminalia ivorensis </li> <li><b>FAMILY</b> - Combretaceae</li> <li><b>TRADE NAME</b> - Black Afara, Idigbo (Nigeria), Emeri (Ghana), Framiré (Ivory Coast)</li> <li><b>DISTRIBUTION</b> - West tropical Africa from Guinea to Cameroon, abundant in primary and secondary forests and transition formations</li> <li><b>WOOD</b> - The Heartwood is yellow-brown or light pink-brown; sapwood somewhat paler, not clearly demarcated; texture medium to rather coarse; grain straight or slightly irregular; moderately lustrous; without distinctive odor or taste.</li> <li><b>WEIGHT</b> - oven dry/ air-dry density of 512 kg/m3 </li> <li><b>DURABILITY</b> - Heartwood is rated as durable and moderately resistant to termite attack; sapwood liable to powder post beetles</li> <li><b>STRENGTH</b> - Medium</li> <li><b>SHRINKAGE</b> - Small </li> <li><b>FOREST AVAILABILITY</b> - The tree can be found in all forest parts of the country but most abundant in the moist evergreen forest of south-eastern Liberia.</li> <li><b>WORKING PROPERTY</b> - Easy to work with hand and machine tools, a 20 degree cutting angle is suggested to avoid tearing of grain in planing, turns well, good nailing and gluing properties, takes a good finish</li> <li><b>USES</b> - A good general purpose timber. Furniture components, joinery, decorative paneling, veneers, flooring, light construction</li> </ul>

Terminalia ivorensis

 
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