Appearance
Teak is a large, deciduous tree up to 40 m tall with gray to grayish brown branches. Leaves are ovate-elliptic to ovate, 15–45 cm long by 8–23 cm wide, and are held on robust petioles that are 2–4 cm long. Leaf margins are entire.Fragrant white flowers are borne on 25–40 cm long by 30 cm wide panicles from June to August. The corolla tube is 2.5–3 mm long with 2 mm wide obtuse lobes. ''Tectona grandis'' sets fruit from September to December; fruits are globose and 1.2-1.8 cm in diameter. Flowers are weakly protandrous in that the anthers precede the stigma in maturity and pollen is shed within a few hours of the flower opening. The flowers are primarily entomophilous , but can occasionally be anemophilous . A 1996 study found that in its native range in Thailand, the major pollinator were species in the ''Ceratina'' genus of bees.
Distribution
''Tectona grandis'' is one of three species in the genus ''Tectona''. The other two species, ''T. hamiltoniana'' and ''T. philippinensis'', are endemics with relatively small native distributions in Myanmar and the Philippines, respectively. ''Tectona grandis'' is native to India, Indonesia, Myanmar, northern Thailand, and northwestern Laos.''Tectona grandis'' is found in a variety of habitats and climatic conditions from arid areas with only 500 mm of rain per year to very moist forests with up to 5,000 mm of rain per year. Typically, though, the annual rainfall in areas where teak grows averages 1,250-1,650 mm with a 3-5 month dry season.
Habitat
''Tectona grandis'' is one of three species in the genus ''Tectona''. The other two species, ''T. hamiltoniana'' and ''T. philippinensis'', are endemics with relatively small native distributions in Myanmar and the Philippines, respectively. ''Tectona grandis'' is native to India, Indonesia, Myanmar, northern Thailand, and northwestern Laos.''Tectona grandis'' is found in a variety of habitats and climatic conditions from arid areas with only 500 mm of rain per year to very moist forests with up to 5,000 mm of rain per year. Typically, though, the annual rainfall in areas where teak grows averages 1,250-1,650 mm with a 3-5 month dry season.
Evolution
''Tectona grandis'' was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus the Younger in his 1782 work ''Supplementum Plantarum''. In 1975, Harold Norman Moldenke published new descriptions of four forms of this species in the journal ''Phytologia''. Moldenke described each form as varying slightly from the type specimen: ''T. grandis'' f. ''canescens'' is distinguished from the type material by being densely canescent, or covered in hairs, on the underside of the leaf, ''T. grandis'' f. ''pilosula'' is distinct from the type material in the varying morphology of the leaf veins, ''T. grandis'' f. ''punctata'' is only hairy on the larger veins on the underside of the leaf, and ''T. grandis'' f. ''tomentella'' is noted for its dense yellowish tomentose hairs on the lower surface of the leaf.Uses
Teak is a yellowish brown timber with good grain and texture. Teak, though easily worked, can cause severe blunting on edged tools because of the presence of silica in the wood. Teak is often an effective material for the construction of both indoor and outdoor furniture. Teak's high oil content, high tensile strength and tight grain makes it particularly suitable for outdoor furniture applications. Over time teak can mature to a silvery-grey finish, especially when exposed to sunlight. It is used in the manufacture of outdoor furniture, boat decks, and other articles where weather resistance is desired. It is also used for cutting boards, indoor flooring, countertops and as a veneer for indoor furnishings. Teak is used extensively in India to make doors and window frames, furniture, and columns and beams in old type houses. It is very resistant to termite attacks. Mature teak fetches a very good price. It is grown extensively by forest departments of different states in forest areas.Leaves of the teak wood tree are used in making Pellakai gatti , where batter is poured into a teak leaf and is steamed. This type of usage is found in the coastal district of Udupi in the Tulunadu region in South India. The leaves are also used in gudeg, a dish of young jackfruit made in Central Java, Indonesia, and give the dish its dark brown color.
Teak is used as a food plant by the larvae of moths of the genus ''Endoclita'' including ''E. aroura'', ''E. chalybeatus'', ''E. damor'', ''E. gmelina'', ''E. malabaricus'', ''E. sericeus'' and ''E. signifer'' and other Lepidoptera including Turnip Moth.Teak has been used as a boatbuilding material for over 2000 years . In addition to relatively high strength, teak is also highly resistant to rot, fungi and mildew. In addition, teak has a relatively low shrinkage ratio, which makes it excellent for applications where it undergoes periodic changes in moisture. Teak has the unusual properties of being both an excellent structural timber for framing, planking, etc., while at the same time being easily worked, unlike some other similar woods such as purpleheart, and finished to a high degree. For this reason, it is also prized for the trim work on boat interiors. Due to the oily nature of the wood, care must be taken to properly prepare the wood before gluing.
When used on boats, teak is also very flexible in the finishes that may be applied. One option is to use no finish at all, in which case the wood will naturally weather to a pleasing silver-grey. The wood may also be oiled with a finishing agent such as linseed or tung oil. This results in a pleasant, somewhat bland finish. Finally, teak may also be varnished for a deep, lustrous glow.
Teak is also used extensively in boat decks, as it is extremely durable and requires very little maintenance. The teak tends to wear in to the softer 'summer' growth bands first, forming a natural 'non-slip' surface. Any sanding is therefore only damaging. Use of modern cleaning compounds, oils or preservatives will shorten the life of the teak, as it contains natural teak-oil a very small distance below the white surface. Wooden boat experts will only wash the teak with salt water, and re-caulk when needed. This cleans the deck, and prevents it from drying out and the wood shrinking. The salt helps it absorb and retain moisture, and prevents any mildew and algal growth. People with poor knowledge often over-maintain the teak, and drastically shorten its life.
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