Kajian Struktur Anatomi dan Sifat Fisis Kayu Balik Angin (Alphitonia excelsa): A Lesser Known Species from Kalimantan

Abstract

Scarcity of wood supply for wood industries in Indonesian could be solved by searching several potential of wood species from natural forest. Among them, balik angin (Alphitonia excelsa) is one of the promising species since it belongs to faster grown lesser known wood species and abundant. To promote this species effectively, its anatomical structure and physical properties have to be studied. From the research it was showed that heartwood and sapwood are almost similar in colour (light gray), decorative (“V”-type), medium and even textured, straight grain, smooth, lustrous, medium hardness and odourless. Microscopic characteristics are 1, 4, 7, 9, 10, 13, 22, 30, 44, 47, 53, 56, 61, 65, 66, 69, 78, 79, 93, 97, 106, 109, 138, 153 and has resin material within the ray parenchyma cells. Average values of fiber length, moisture content, wood density, specific gravity, and MFA were 1042.84 μm, 13.03%, 0.49 g/cm3, 0.43 and 17.1˚, respectively. Fiber quality of this wood belonged to class of II-III with strength class of III.