This volume on lesser-known timbers completes the PROSEA
trilogy on timber trees. Lesser-known timbers merit attention because of the
growing appreciation of their importance in the sustainable management of tropical
forest and of their potential for forest plantations. The increasing use of
wood-based panels, requiring less outstanding timber qualities and less uniformity,
also intensifies their use. These lesser-known species are also essential to
supply timber for local use and therefore for rural development. The up-to-date
information on these timbers contained in this volume supports all these applications.
It includes information on palm wood as well. As wood properties are related
to botanical classification, it is important to identify trees and wood correctly.
Therefore, there is an extensive list of wood anatomical features plus macroscopic
photographs of all timbers. The volume covers 309 genera and about 1550 species,
amongst others African mahogany, agoho, antiaris, balsa, ficus, lilin, maple,
mempisang and tempinis.