SCIENTIFIC NAME
Distemonanthus benthamianus. Derivation: The genus name is Greek for a flower with two stamens. The specific epithet is in honor of English botanist George Bentham (1800 to 1884), the author of numerous scholarly and fundamental works including Flora Australiensis.

FAMILY
Fabaceae or Leguminosae, the legume family; (Caesalpiniaceae) the cassia group.

OTHER NAMES
Nigerian satinwood, barre, ayanran, bonsamdua, ejen.

DISTRIBUTION
Widely but sparsely distributed throughout the forests of West Africa, mainly in Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria.

THE TREE
Ayan attains an average height of 90 feet with a diameter of 2.5 feet. The bole is clear, reasonably straight and cylindrical. It has rather thin, weakly developed buttresses.

THE TIMBER
Ayan sapwood is narrow and varies in color from lemon-yellow to yellowish-brown. It is fairly distinct from the uniformly yellowish-cream or light golden-yellow heartwood. The odor and taste are not distinct. The luster is high, and the texture is fine to medium. The grain is straight to interlocked which produces a ribbon figure. The heartwood may contain up to 1.3% silica and a yellow extractive dye, which under moist conditions acts as a direct dye on textiles. Average reported specific gravity is 0.58 (ovendry weight/green volume), equivalent to an air-dried weight of 45 pef. Ayan is comparable to oak in strength. It also has moderately good bending properties after being steamed.

SEASONING
The timber can be seasoned with little degrade and is quite dimensionally stable. Average reported shrinkage values (green to ovendry) are 3.1% radial, 5.2% tangential and 10.7% volumetric.

DURABILITY
The timber is moderately resistant to all types of fungal attack and to wood-borer pests. It is also resistant to penetration by preservatives.

WORKABILITY
In general, ayan works fairly well with hand and machine tools. The dulling effect on cutters varies with the silica content. When the silica content is high, carbide-tipped saws must be used. Gum build up on saws can cause overheating. When bored, the wood tends to char. It takes stain and polish well requiring only a moderate amount of filler. It has a slight tendency to split when nailed but can be glued satisfactorily. It can be easily peeled for veneer.

USES
The primary uses are for cabinetry and interior joinery for window frames, door frames and sills. It should not be used in the construction of any product liable to come in contact with wet fabric because of the yellow extractive dye it contains. It is suitable for most normal flooring and is of interest for its decorative appearance in the form of veneer.

SUPPLIES
The wood can be found on the commercial market.

Information from A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Second Edition, James H. Flynn, Jr. and Charles D. Holder, Editors. Forest Products Society, Madison, Wisconsin, 2001.

Photographs from MDArtworks