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Teak (shegun) medium to large exotic deciduous
tree, Tectona grandis, yeilding a hard, durable, resinous, yellowish-brown
wood used for ship building, furniture making etc, first planted in Kaptai
(SE) from Myanmar in 1871. The plant is considered as the most valuable
timber plant in the country. The leaf blade is about 24 cm wide and 55
cm long with 2-5 cm petiole. The shape of leaf is elliptic to ovate, upperside
rough, underside tomentum. Flower is small, white, star-shaped. The fruit
is a hard bonny nut in a thick spongy covering having 1-2 seeds inside.
The full-grown tree trunk may be 1-2.5 m in diameter at chest height.
The annual ring is marked by a narrow belt of vessel cells. On seasoning,
soon darkens in brown mottled with darker streaks. Reddish dye is prepared
from young leaves and bark of the roots. Of the total 60,65,000 cft of
timber produced annually in Bangladesh, teak occupies a significant proportion.
[Mostafa Kamal Pasha] |
