Tilia cordata

'Tilia cordata'' Mill. – Small-leaved lime'''

group: 	DIFFUSE-POROUS HARDWOODS

Macroscopic structure of wood

heartwood/sapwood: 	sapwood

description: 	yellowish to yellowish brown colour (grey or green when exposed to moisture)

rings: 	small visible boundary between rings (sometime occur wavy rings)

vessels:	only micro pores in wood (longitudinal sections smooth)

rays: 	small, visible only in R

texture: 	slightly flatsawn (T) and slightly radial figure (R); lusterless and little decorative wood

other: 	acidulous taste

Microscopic structure of wood

brief overview: 	Ray 1–6 seriate, HomG*; simple perforation plate, spiral thickenings of vessels

ring: 	invisible boundary between early and late wood within ring	X

vessel types and arrangements: 	only microvessels; microvessels solitary or in radial multiples (up to 4)	X

type of vessel perforation: 	simple	R

vessel thickenings: 	very distinct spiral	R, T

rays: 	homogeneous (slightly heterogeneous)	R, T

width of rays	1–6	T, (X)

apotracheal parenchyma: 	marginal, diffuse-in-aggregates	X

tracheids in basic tissue: 	very numerous – vascular, vasicentric, fibre tracheids	R, T

other: 	noded rays (i. e. swollen on the ring boundary) (X section)

Wood properties

density: 	light

ρ 0: 	475 kg/m3

ρ 12-15: 	505 kg/m3

ρ green: 	780 kg/m3

shrinkage: 	medium

- volumetric (βV): 	16,1 %

- radial (βR): 	6 %

- tangential (βT): 	9,9 %

mechanical properties: 	weak, bendy

ultimate strength in compression ||: 	52 MPa

ultimate strength in bending: 	106 MPa

ultimate strength in tension ||: 	85 MPa

hardness: 	soft

Janka's hardness: 	26 MPa

technological properties: 	no problem with chemical preservation, drying, working and finishing

resistance: 	rated as slightly or non-resistant to decay

Wood utilization

veneers, plywoods, battenboards, furniture, woodcarving, turning work, apiary supplies, toys, pencils and pulp industry

References