Bilinga is a tropical species native to West and Central Africa. The tree gives a golden yellow to yellow-orange wood that is naturally very durable. Bilinga is therefore particularly adapted to uses requiring solid materials that are resistant to external aggressions, such as shipbuilding or hydraulic works in marine environment. The exotic species Bilinga naturally covers class 5: it can be used in marine environment and brackish water.
Nauclea diderrichii, Nauclea gilletii
Family: RUBIACEAE (angiosperme)
Commercial restrictions: no commercial restriction
The tropical tree Bilinga is a large tree of the forests of West and Central Africa. It is between 30 and 40 m high, with a diameter up to 1.20 m. The bole is cylindrical, generally slender, very straight, without buttresses. It sometimes has small bases. It is covered with a grey-brown scaly bark, sometimes turning to orange-yellow, often cracked.
We recognize the Bilinga in forest thanks to its inflorescences and its spherical fruits. The fruits, with pulpy and fragrant flesh, are considered edible.
The exotic species Bilinga is an orange-yellow to golden yellow wood. It is a particularly interesting material in terms of durability: it is very resistant to fungi, termites and dry wood borers. Moreover, it is one of the tropical species naturally covering class 5, i.e. Bilinga can be used in marine environment or brackish water.
This medium-heavy to heavy, medium-hard to hard wood is thus suitable for uses requiring solid and resistant materials:
The exotic wood Bilinga is also used in interior joinery and cabinet making.
The tropical tree Bilinga grows in a wide distribution area from Sierra Leone in the north to Angola in the south and Uganda in the east.
The exotic species Bilinga is a undeciduous species. It grows in evergreen and semi-deciduous tropical forests.
The seeds are dispersed by animals from August to December.
See Tropix sheet of Bilinga (CIRAD).
See Tropix sheet of Bilinga (CIRAD).
See Tropix sheet of Bilinga (CIRAD).
Sources: CIRAD - ATIBT - Q. Meunier, C. Moumbogou, J.-L. Doucet, 2015. Les arbres utiles du Gabon
Copyright photo: Q. Meunier, C. Moumbogou, J.-L. Doucet, 2015. Les arbres utiles du Gabon
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