Millettia laurentii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Millettia laurentii |
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| Tree in flower | |
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| Tangentially-sawn wood | |
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Millettieae
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Millettia
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M. laurentii
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| Millettia laurentii De Wild.
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The Wenge tree (scientific name: Millettia laurentii) is a type of legume tree. It grows naturally in central Africa. This tree is known for its beautiful, dark wood.
Sadly, the Wenge tree is currently listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever. The main reasons for this are that people are cutting down its habitat (the places where it lives) and over-harvesting (taking too many trees) for its valuable timber. The wood from this tree is simply called wenge. It is a very dark and strong type of hardwood.
What is Wenge Wood?
Wenge (pronounced WING-gay) is a special kind of wood from tropical areas. It is very dark, almost black, with unique patterns. It often has a strong, wavy grain that looks a bit like a partridge feather. This wood is very heavy and hard. Because of its strength, it is often used for things like flooring and staircases.
Wenge in Musical Instruments
Many people who make musical instruments love to use wenge wood. For example, the company Mosrite used it for the bodies of their "Brass Rail" guitars. Ibanez and Cort also use wenge for parts of their electric basses. Since 2013, Warwick electric basses have used wenge that is FSC certified. This means the wood comes from forests that are managed in a way that protects the environment.
Wenge is also used in drum kits. Crush drums use it for their special "limited reserve wenge" drum sets. Yamaha also uses wenge as the middle layer in some of their "Absolute Hybrid Maple" drums.
Other Uses for Wenge Wood
Wenge wood is very popular in a craft called segmented woodturning. This is where small pieces of wood are glued together to make a larger shape. Wenge is great for this because it stays stable and its dark color creates a nice contrast when mixed with lighter woods like maple. This makes it a top choice for making fancy walking canes.
This wood is also sometimes used to make archery bows. It can be a strong layer inside flatbows. Additionally, wenge can be used for parts of hammered dulcimers, which are musical instruments.
Images for kids
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Quartersawn surface
