Cameroon Timber Hub

Illustrative swatch — no photograph on file for this species yet.

Bete

Mansonia altissima

  • Secondary hardwood
Bété, traded as Mansonia, is a grey-brown to purple-brown hardwood often used as a walnut substitute for furniture and decorative veneer. It is durable, stable and works to a very clean finish. The dust is notably irritant and toxic to some workers, so extraction and respiratory protection are important.

Classification

Commercial category
Secondary Hardwood
Botanical family
Malvaceae
Density (air-dry)
550–700 kg/m³
Durability class
Class 1–2 (Very Durable)
Janka hardness
4,900 N
Trade names
Mansonia, African black walnut, Bété, Aprono
Local names
Bété
Regions harvested
East, Centre, South-West

Commercial category is a market grouping used in the timber trade. It is not a regulatory or legal classification.

Properties

Grain
Straight
Colour
Grey-brown to purple-brown, fading with light
Texture
Fine
Handling
Dust is a known irritant — use protection

Typical uses

  • Furniture and cabinetwork
  • Decorative veneer
  • Interior joinery
  • Turnery
  • Gun stocks

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