UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

STEM PROPERTIES OF PLANTED CALAMUS SCIPIONUM AND DAEMONOROPS ANGUSTIFOLIA OF DIFFERENT AGES

ROSZAINI KADIR

FH 1997 2

STEM PROPERTIES OF PLANTED CALAMUS SCIPIONUM AND DAEMONOROPS ANGUSTIFOLIA OF DIFFERENT AGES

By ROSZAINI KADIR

Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science

in the Faculty of Forestry Universiti Pertanian Malaysia

January 1997

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to Allah

S.W.T. for giving me the strength, courage and time without which this study could

not be completed.

Thanks are due to my chairman, Tuan Haji Dr. Mohd Hamami Sahri, Faculty

of Forestry, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia for his wise counsel, constant guidance,

healthy criti6sm, constant encouragement, persistent inspiration and various logistic

support throughout the entire graduate programme.

Thanks also due to members of my supervisory committee, Associate

Professor Mohd Zin Jusoh, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia and

Dr. N. Manokaran, Forest Research I nstitute Malaysia (FRIM) for serving and

providing invaluable support, suggestions and comments at the various stages of

this study.

I am indebted to the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) for granting

me a part-time study and scholarship to complete my study at the Universiti

Pertanian Malaysia. My appreciation to Dr. Abdul Latif Mohmod, my project

leader for his valuable comments.

II

I also like to record my appreciation to my staff, especial ly to Rosidi

Sulaiman, Ahmad Embak, Shah Mohd Darns, Kamal Bahrin Mahbok, Mohd Rashid

Samad and Mohamad Haji Sahak for their help in collecting and preparing the

samples. An extended thanks to Hasidin Hashim for allowing me to use the

facilities at Anatomy Laboratory, Faculty of Forestry and thanks due to all my

friends and others who in one way or other that have assisted me.

Very special dedication and deep appreciation to my beloved mother, Hamidah

Haji Mohd Desa and my parents for their patience, encourage'l1ent and assistance

during the difficult period and for the constant prayer for my success. Lastly, I

dedicate this thesis to my late father, Kadir Yatim and wish him to be under the

guidance and in the path of Allah S.W.T.

III

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................... 11

LIST OF TABLES Vll

LIST OF FIGURES ix

LIST OF PLATES x

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xi

ABSTRACT xi i

ABSTRAK XIV

CHAPTER

I INTRODUCTION 1

Background of the Study 2

Objectives of the Study 7

I I LITERA TORE REVIEW 8

General Information on Rattan Plantation in Peninsular Malaysia 9

Rattan i n General 11

Rattan Behaviour 1 3

Differences o f Species Studied 16

Calamus scipionum ............................ ................................ 16

IV

III

Daemonorops angustifolia

Properties of Rattans

Page

19

2 1

Anatomical Properties ............................................................ 21

Variation in Physical Properties

Factors Affecting the Strength of Rattan

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sample Collection

25

28

32

32

Discrete Portion of Sampling ............................... ........................... 34

Determination of Physical Properties ....... .................. ...................... 35

Green Moisture Content

Specific Gravity

Shrinkage

35

35

36

Anatomical Properties ..................................................................... 37

Tissue Proportion

Fibre Morphology

Mechanical Properties

Static Bending

Compression Parallel to Grain

Shear Parallel to Grain

Machining Properties

v

37

38

39

39

41

43

45

IV

V

Page

Statistical Analysis 46

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 48

Stem Characteristics ........................................................................ 48

Anatomical Properties of Rattan 51

Size and Frequency of Vascular Bundles 51

Proportion of Sclerenchyma Cells (Fibres and Parenchyma) ................. ................................ 63

Fibre Length ...... ............... .............. ........... ............. ............. 64

Cell Wall Thickness 65

Variation in Physical Properties 66

Initial Moisture Content 66

Specific Gravity 71

Shrinkage 74

Mechanical Properties 78

Machining Properties 86

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 91

BIBLIOGRAPHY 96

APPENDIX 1 06

VITA 1 1 1

Vi

LIST OF TABLES

Table

1 List of Potential Rattan Species

2 Rattan Genera in the Tropical and Sub-tropical

Page

3

Regions of the World .. ..... .. ... ................ . . . ............................. ........ . . 9

3 Mechanical Properties of Some Malaysian Canes................................. 31

4 Properties Tested and the Dimension of Each Test Sample ................................................................................... 34

5

6

7

8

9

Type of Machines Used in the Study

Average Stem Characteristics of the Rattan Species

Correlation Coefficients of Different Physical Characteristics with Age and Portion of Rattan

Anatomical Characteristics of the Two Rattan Species at Four Different Ages with Five Different Portions

Summary of Analysis of Variance on Anatomical Characteristics of C. scipionum and D. angustifolia

10 Duncan's New Multiple Range Test Mean Values on the Anatomical Characteristics of the Two Rattan Species

11 Correlation Coefficients of Different Anatomical Characteristics with Age and Height of Rattan

12 Average Moisture Content (%) of the Rattan Species

13 Summary of Analysis of Variance for Moisture Content of the Rattan Species ..................................................... ..

14 Duncan's New Multiple Range Test Mean Values

on the Physical Properties of Rattans ......................................... .

vii

46

49

50

53

55

59

61

67

68

69

Table

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Correlation Coefficients of Different Physical Properties with Anatomical Characteristics, Age and Height of Rattan .................................................................... .

Average Specific Gravity of the Rattan Species

Summary of Analysis of Variance for Specific Gravity of the Rattan Species ......................................................... .

Average Shrinkage Value (%) of the Two Rattan Species ............................................................................. .

Summary of Analysis of Variance for Shrinkage for Shrinkage Value of the Rattan Species ..................................... .

Correlation Coefficients of Shrinkage with Moisture Content and Specific Gravity of the Rattan

Average Mechanical Properties of the Rattan in Dry Condition ................................................................................ .

Summary of Analysis of Variance on Mechanical Properties of C. scipionum and D. angustifolia

Correlation Coefficients of Age and Height on Mechanical Properties of Rattan ................................................. .

Correlation Coefficients of Physical and Anatomical Characteristics on Mechanical Properties of Rattan .......................... .

Machining Properties of the Rattan Species

26 Anatomical Characteristics of the Two Rattan Species

viii

Page

70

72

73

75

76

77

79

81

82

8:

87

106

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1 Geographical Ranges of the Asian Rattan 10

2 Digrammatic Illustration of Rattan Stem Form and Structure ......................................................................... . 14

3 Schematic Representation on General Patterns of Variations in Physical and Mechanical Properties Along and Across the Stem .............................................................. . 15

4 General Patterns of Variation in Anatomical Properties Along and Across the Stem ........................................... . 15

5 Sampling of Portions 33

6 Classification of Samples Along Stem Height 33

7 Sketch of Static Bending Test Setup 41

8 Compression Parallel to Grain Test Specimen 42

9 Shear Parallel to Grain Test Specimen 44

10 Sketch of Shear Parallel to Grain Test Setup 44

IX

LIST OF PLATES

Plate

1 Stem of C. scipionum Grown in A Secondary

Forest at Bukit Ari, FRIM, Selangor ............................................. .

2 Stem of D. angustifolia Grown in A Secondary

Forest at Sungai Buloh, Selangor ................................................ ..

3 Arrangement of Testing Equipment for

Compression Parallel to Grain Test ................................................ ..

4 Arrangement of Testing Equipment for

Shear Parallel to Grain Test .......................................................... .

5 Cross Section of C. scipionum

6 Cross Section of D. angustifolia

7 Transverse Section of C. scipionum Showing

Relatively Thin Walled Fibres .................................................... ..

8 Transverse Section of D. angustifolia Showing

Relatively Thin Walled Fibres ..................................................... .

9 Anatomical Features of C. scipionum Showing the

Transverse Section of the Central Portion of the Stem

10 Anatomical Features of D. angustifolia Showing the

Transverse Section of the Central Portion of the Stem

11 Treated and Untreated Samples of C. scipionum After

Page

17

20

42

45

57

57

58

58

62

62

Sanding Process ...... . . . .......... .... .......................... .. . ....... ............ ..... 89

12 Treated and Untreated Samples of D. angustifolia After Sanding Process . . . ......................................................................... 89

x

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

FRIM Forest Research Institute Malaysia

MOE Modulus of Elasticity

MOR Modulus of Rupture

MTS Maximum Tensile Stress

MCS Maximum Compressive Stress

Sp Species

xi

Abstract of thesis submitted to the Senate of Universiti Pertanian Malaysia in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.

STEM PROPERTIES OF PlANTED CALAMUS SCIPIONUM AND DAEMONOROPS ANGUSTIFOLIA OF DIFFERENT AGES

By

ROSZAINI KADIR

January 1997

Chairman Dr. Mohd Hamami Sahri

Faculty Forestry

Knowledge on anatomical, physical, mechanical and machining properties is

necessary in assessing the potential use of rattan but little research has been

conducted on the commercially important large diameter species. A total of fifty two

stems of two species namely Calamus scipionum Lour. 'Rotan semambu' and

Daemonorops angustifolia (Griff.) Mart. 'Rotan getah' from plantation plots were

chosen for the study to evaluate the effect of age and height on the properties of

rattan.

All the anatomical characteristics studied were significantly correlated to age,

portion, part (except fibre length, lumen diameter and cell wall thickness) and

segment. In terms of size, distribution, percentage area and fibre length (anatomical

properties), C. scipionum was bigger than D. angustifolia. The fibre length tended

xii

to decrease from basal ( 1 .99 mm) towards the top portion (1 .41 mm) and from

the peripheral layer (1 .67 mm) towards the inner wall (1.56 mm) for both species.

The average range of cell wall thickness was from 3.49 to 5.67 f.lm , fibre d iameter;

from 20.58 to 24.07 f.lm and lumen diameter, from 12.63 to 13.61 f.lm, respectively.

The initial moisture content and specific gravity were significantly correlated

with height, maturity of the stem and anatomical properties but not with the part of

the specimens for both species. The moisture content of C. scipionum ranged from

74 to 331 percent and from 54 to 321 percent in D. angustiJolia while the specific

gravity value ranged from 0.40 to 0.83 and from 0.27 to 0.58, respectively. All the

shrinkage values of rattan were significantly correlated with height of the stem. It

increased from the basal towards the top portions.

However, the value of mechanical properties of both species increased with

age but decreased with height of the stem. In sanding, C. scipionum was found to be

a stronger cane and exhibited better qual i ty than D. angustifolia. The treated samples

(boiled with diesel) gave a better result (smoothness and easy to process) than

untreated samples.

Xlll

Abstrak tesis ini di kemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Pertanian Malaysia sebagai memenuhi keperluan untuk mendapatkan Ijazah Master Sains.

SIFAT-SIFAT BATANG BAGI CALAMUS SCIPIONUM DAN DAEMONOROPS ANGUS TIFOLIA YANG DITANAM

PADA TAHAP UMUR YANG BERBEZA

Oleh

ROSZAINI KADIR

Januari 1997

Pengerusi Dr. Mohd Hamami Sahri

Fakulti Perhutanan

Pengetahuan mengenai sifat-sifat anatomi, fizikal, mekanikal dan pemesinan

amat diperlukan di dalam menilai potensi kegunaan spesis-spesis rotan tetapi hanya

sedikit sahaja penyelidikan yang telah dijalankan ke atas spesis-spesis komersial yang

berdiameter besar. Sejumlah lima puluh dua batang dari spesis Calamus scipionum

Lour. (Rotan semambu) dan Daemonorops angustifolia (Griff.) Mart. (Rotan getah)

daripada plot tanaman telah dipilih untuk kajian bagi menilai kesan umur dan

ketinggian batang terhadap sifat-sifat rotan berkenaan.

Kesemua sifat-sifat anatomi didapati memberi kesan yang bererti terhadap

umur, ketinggian, bahagian (kecuaIi panjang gentian, diameter lumen dan ketebalan

xiv

dinding sel) dan segmen. Di dalam erti kata saiz, taburan dan peratusan kawasan ke

atas sifat- sifat anatomi serta panjang gentian, C. scipionum mempunyai nilai yang

lebih besar berbanding D. angustifolia. Penurunan panjang gentian adalah ketara

daripada bahagian bawah (1 .99 mm) sehingga ke bahagian teratas sekali ( 1 .41 mm)

dan daripada lapisan luar (1 .67 mm) terus kepada lapisan dalam sekali ( 1 .56 mm) bagi

kedua-dua spesis. Ketebalan dinding sel setiap satunya berjulat di antara 3.49 hingga

5.67 lAm, diameter gentian di antara 20.58 hingga 24.07 lAm dan diameter lumen

daripada 12.63 hingga 13.61 �lm.

Kandungan lembapan dan ketumpatan bandingan didapati amat dipengaruhi

oleh ketinggian dan peningkatan umur batang serta si fat-sifat anatomi tetapi tidak

dengan bahagian-bahagian sampel bagi kedua-dua spes is. Kandungan lembapan bagi

C. scipionum berjulat di antara 74 hingga 331 peratus dan dari 54 hingga 321 peratus

bagi D. angustifolia sementara bagi ketumpatan bandingan, masing-masing berjulat di

antara 0.40 hingga 0.83 (C. scipionum) dan 0.27 hingga 0.58 (D. angustifolia).

Kesemua nilai pengecutan rotan amat dipengaruhi oleh ketinggian sampel. Nilainya

meningkat daripada bahagian bawah sehingga ke bahagaian teratas batang.

Walau bagaimanapun, sifat-sifat mekanikal kedua-dua spesis didapati

meningkat bersama peningkatan umur tetapi menurun dengan ketinggian batang.

C. scipionum merupakan rotan yang lebih kuat serta menunjukkan kualiti lebih baik

xv

berbanding D. angustifolia terutamanya di daJam proses pernpeJasan. SarnpeJ yang

dirawat (direbus bersarna diseJ) memberikan perrnukaan yang lebih baik berbanding

dengan sarnpel yang tidak dirawat.

xvi

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Rattan is one of Malaysia's rich natural and renewable resources. As a native

plant of the jungle, it is a source of sustenance and livelihood (Raja Fuziah, 1985).

Although categorised as a minor forest product, rattans together with bamboo far

outweigh all the minor forest produce in economic terms. Before this, their

importance is overshadowed by the forest's primary product, the logs. These

nonwood forest products were ignored, destroyed and left to rot during logging

operations or were gathered by the local for domestic consumption.

According to Menon (1980), rattans have been exploited and utilised for

several centuries and during the last few decades, rattan has emerged as the most

sought after raw material for the furniture i ndustry within the country, thus resulting

into a multi-million dollar husiness.

Locally, rattan may be of great social significance in providing a source of

income for the poorer communities living near the forest. These people may use wild

rattan growing in the forest as a source of i ncome for riding over difficult periods in

the agricultural crop cycle.

1

2

Dransfield (1979) reported that all rattans of the world may number about 600

species in 13 genera. Aminuddin (1994) further revealed that about 25 out of the 106

species of rattan found in the forest of Peninsular Malaysia are presently collected and

utilised commercially (Table 1). This could be due to the inferior quality of some

species and in others they produced only very short stems of non-commercial lengths

(Manokaran, 1990). Because of these reasons, most of the world's 600 species do

not enter the trade.

Background of the Study

In the past, rattan which was regarded as a minor forest product was beyond

the scope and interest of forest departments which concentrated on timber extraction

and the regeneration of timber stands. Today, rattan is the most important resource

after timber. Despite the antiquity of its uses, rattans rarely constitute a managed

resource and in spite of their great economic value, they are poorly understood

biologically.

According to Darus & Aminah (1985), the economic importance of rattan has

been found to be significant mainly because of the rattan furniture industry and

handicrafts items which tum into a modem multi-million dollar industry. These

products enjoying very high demand domestically as well as internationally. In facts,

Table 1 List of Potential Rattan Species

Species Large diameter (>18 mm) Calamus manan C. tumidus C. palustris C. ornatus C. scipionum C. peregrinus C. erinaceus Daemonorops grandis D. angustifolia Korthalsia rigida K. flagellaris K. laciniosa

Small diameter «18 mm) C. caesills C. axillaris C. speciosissimus C. insignis C. laevigatus C. densiflorus C. diepenhorstii C.javensis C. exilis C. pycnocarpus Daemonorops propiqlla D. didymophylla D. micrantha

(Source: Aminuddin, 1993)

Vernacular name

Rotan manau Rotan tikus Rotan manau langkawi Rotan mantang Rotan semambu Rotan jelayan Rotan bakau/air Rotan sendang Rotan getah Rotan dahan Rotan dahan Rotan dahan/merah

Rotan sega Rotan sega air Rotan sega badak Rotan batu Rotan tunggal Rotan kerai Rotan kerai hitam Rotan lilin/seni Rotan paku Rotan kong Rotan jernang Rotan jernang Rotan jernang miang

3

its roots still remain firmly embedded in village and small-scale rural cottage-type

activities.

4

The international trade in rattan dates to the mid-nineteen century before the

Portuguese brought the material to Europe (Corner, 1966; Whitmore, 1973;

Dransfield & Manokaran, 1993). However, village-level utilisation in the Asia region

spans many centuries ago. Rattan enters into the world market as rattan sticks, cane

core and split canes. Menon (1980) reported that the rattan brings US$50 million into

village economies, annually and more than US$1.2 billion in terms of manufactured

products. Such a large volume in rattan trade indicates that there is great demand for

rattan and rattan products throughout the world.

In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in demand for furniture

especially from Japan, Europe and United States of America (USA). Singapore was

the clearing-house for practically the entire rattan output of the South-East Asia and

the Western Pacific at the turn of the 20th century. Singapore and Hong Kong,

without raw rattan resources of their own, have been playing the lucrative role of the

middle-man from the beginning of international trade in raUans. They have been

importing, processing and then re-exporting of rattan products (Manokaran, 1990).

From 1922 to 1927, Singapore exported from 2750 to 16000 tonnes, mainly

to Hong Kong, the United States and France. During the same period, the export

from Kalimantan and Sulawesi increased from 9400 to 19300 tonnes and 10300 to

21800 tonnes, respectively. By the 1970's, Indonesia supplied about 90% of raw

rattan of the worlds. In 1977, Singapore and Hong Kong which have no

5

commercially harvestable rattan resources, earned more than US$21 million and

US$68 million, respectively in export value. By comparison, Indonesia's share only

US$15 million of the trade, mainly of unprocessed canes (Manokaran, 1 990). Anon

(1987) reported that these two non-rattan producing nations in the region have

established their processing industries by training a large pool of ski l led labour

and have developed technologies to treat and utilise a wide variety of lesser known or

low quality rattan. Malaysia needs to develop her rattan industry further to overcome

this unhealthy situation.

In order to discourage the export of raw rattans, the goverment has imposed a

RM 2700/metric tonne export duty recently of any species, size and condition, in an

attempt to safeguard the interest of local rattan furniture makers since August 1 987.

As extension of this, only finished rattan products were al lowed to be exported from

December 1989 onward. This is to ensure that there is a continuous supply of high

quality raw rattan within the country thus conserving i ts resource base. In fact,

these can contribute the industry's ability to meet the Industrial Master Plan export

target of US$60 million worth of rattan furniture by 1995 (Manokaran, 1990).

With the increasing demand of rattan products and improvement of processing

techniques, the rattan industry is growing up rapidly. More than 642 rattan factories

are registered in the country where, 30% is categorised as cottage and small scale

6

and 70% as large scale industries. Of the 642 mills, 24.6% are involved in

rattan processing while the remaining 484 mills are engaged in the manufacturing

activities (Aminuddin & Abdul Latif, 1992). However, the distribution of these

factories are concentrated mainly in the north-west of the Peninsular Malaysia, which

is rich in rattan resources.

Malaysia has abundant supply of raw rattan. Abdul Latif (1989) reported

that, the total gross value of raw rattans collected could amount to over RM 5 million

a month. The value can increase to more than seven to nine times if the

manufactures concentrate on downstream processing as in furniture or semi­

processed products such as ropes and binds which are traditionally imported from

Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Taiwan. However the supply for

commercially importanat large diameter rattan species is getting very scarce. The

supply is very difficult to come by and most of the industries have resorted to replace

Calamus manan (Rotan manau) with other large diameter canes. Rattan has huge

potential for industrial development and Malaysia should exploit these resources to

the maximum. The supply of these rattan species can be increased through large scale

planting on available land langing from wastelands to forests and rubber estates

(Aminuddin & Nur Supardi, 1991).

The potential of these species could partly be realised by understanding its

basic characteristics and properties. It is also important to compare its properties to

7

other commercial species in order to obtain rational explanation on i ts potential

usage. In view of this, two planted rattans species were chosen as material for the

study in assessing its potentia l suitabitlity for various end products.

In the light of the increasing emphasis on improved rattan utilisation, the

suitability of Calamus sp., Daemonorops sp., Korthalsia sp. and other species for

specific end-uses such as handicrafts and furniture has to be studied. This study has

been designed to assess the properties of p lanted rattans viz. Calamus scipionum

'Rotan semambu' and Daemonorops angustifolia 'Rotan getah' which covers the

anatomical, physical, mechanical and machining properties to provide the basic

information for their utilisation.

Objectives of the Study

The study emphasised on the followings:-

a. To determine the anatomical features, physical, mechanical and machining

properties of two planted rattan species viz. Calamus scipionum Lour. and

Daemonorops angustifolia (Griff.) Mart.

b. To study the variations between and within the parameters studied in relation

to age and stem heights.

CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

Rattans are mostly trailing or spiny climbing palms with characteristics scaly

fruits belonging to the Lepidocaryoid Major Group of the Palm Family (Moore, 1 973;

Dransfield & Uhld, 1986). It's the most important group of forest species after

timber. These palms are abundantly found in low and medium virgin forests.

Although there are thirteen recognised genera which comprise about 600 species in

the world, rattans are mostly concentrated in tropical and subtropical areas in the Asia

Pacific region (10 genera) and West Africa (4 genera). The most commercial genus is

Calamus while others include Calospatha, Ceratolobus, Daemonorops, Korthalsia,

Myrialepis, Plectocomia and Plectocomiopsis (Table 2). There is no other rattan

growing naturally in other tropical and sub-tropical areas, or in temperate regions

(Manokaran, 1990).

According to Whitmore (1973), rattans have their centre in South East Asia

and Malaya lies at the very hub (Figure 1). Nine genera, including all the principal

ones. occur in this region. In fact, Calamus and Daemonorops are our two largest

palm genera with 72 and 32 species, respectively. Numbers of genera and

species fall off sharply in all directions away from the old Sunda shelf cou ntries of

Sumatra, Malaya and Borneo. In Malaya out of 220 species of palms, 106 species

are rattans and these figures are only provisional.

8