Mindi in Javanese language called “Geringging” with Latin name Melia azedarach L. is an easy grow trees plantation which always be greenish in tropical area and fall its leaves on winter time.
Habitat
The height of trees is up to 45 meters with branches height about 8 daun mindi 20 meters. Its diameter is about 60 cm. Its crowns seems like an umbrella with a width shape of branches, it sometimes fall its leaves.
Morphology
The stem is cylindrical shape, standing upright, no buttress root. The stem skin is brownish grey color, has line grooved and scaly. The young trees has glossy skin and has lenticels. Its cambium has pale white color. Its leaves has acuminate shape with tapering to long point style; it has serrate margin with teeth forward pointing style; and has pinnate venation with secondary veins paired oppositely. The leaves has up to 50 cm length. The leaflets are dark green above and lighter green below.
It has flowers in violet color. Its fruit is oval, unopened with dimension between 2-4 cm x 1-2 cm, thin outer layer, glossy, wrinkle skin with hard inner skin, young fruit has green color, while the mature one has yellow color. Each fruit has average between 4 – 5 seeds. Small seed sized 3.5 mm x 1.6 mm; oval shape, brown color, glossy, the dry seed has dark color.
Characteristics
Its trass layer has reddish brown color; its cambium has white reddish color with a distinct line distinguishing between cambium and wood elements. It has straight grain style and intergrated with specific weight in average 0.53. Its reduction weight 3.3% of density (radial) and 4.1% (tangensial). Mindi wood belongs to strength level at III-II, equivalent with mahogany, sungkai, red meranti. It belongs to durable level at IV.
Usage
Mindi wood has been proved as a good material for furniture whether domestic or export. It has beautiful grain and easy handled. It belongs to III-II levels of Strength classification; it is dried without any damage. Mindi wooden furniture is usually made of solid and panel with mindi veneer.
