Family: Leguminosae, the legume family.
Origin: Kiaat is widely distributed over south-central Africa and is common in savanna woodland.
Other common names: Muninga, Mutete, Mukwa, Mtumbati and Kajat.
The tree: It commonly grows to a height of 40 to 60 ft. with a straight bole of 10 to 25 ft. and a diameter of 1.5 to 2.5 ft.
Appearance: The heartwood is highly variable ranging from a pale uniform brown to golden brown to chocolate to brick red or purplish brown with darker or redder streaks that tone down with exposure. The sapwood is pale gray or yellowish and is clearly defined. It has a medium to coarse texture and straight or interlocking grain with and an attractive figure. The wood has no luster.
Density: Average reported specific gravity is about .59(ovendry weight/green volume), equal to an air-dried weight of 41 pcf. Janka hardness is 1480 pounds of force.
Drying & shrinkage: Dries very well but slowly with no warping and little or no tendency to split or check. Movement in service is rated as small. Average reported shrinkage values (green to ovendry) are 1.0% radial and 1.5% tangential.
Working properties: It works well with hand and machine tools with only a moderate blunting effect on cutters. Straight grained material planes and shapes to an excellent finish and it peels and slices cleanly. It has good gluing properties and it turns and carves well. Possible adverse reactions from the dust include dermatitis, bronchial asthma and nasal irritation.
Durability: The heartwood varies from very durable to moderately so and is moderately resistant to termites and marine borers. The sapwood is susceptible to attack by powder-post beetles.
Uses: Furniture, fine joinery, flooring, decorative veneer, turnery and boat building.