|
| Commercial timbers |
Nomenclature etc. FABACEAE-FABOIDEAE. Trade relvant species: Andira coriacea Pulle, Andira inermis (W. Wright) Kunth ex DC., A. micrantha Ducke, A. surinamensis (Bondt) Splitg. ex Amshoff. Trade and local names: maquilla, cuartololote, tololote (MX); almendro de rio (PA, SV); cocu, harina, quira (PA); areno (CR); moca, m. amarilla (PR); acapurana, angelim branco, a. da várzea, a. liso, pau de morcego (BR); congo, manteco (CO); ajunado (BO); sarrapio, montanero (VE); St. Martin rouge (FR, GF); bat seed, koraro (GY); quinillo colorado (PE); angelin (TT); cabbage tree, pheasant wood (US).
Description based on 8 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa, Mexico and Central America, Caribbean, tropical South America.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct (demarcated by marginal parenchyma bands) or indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown, red, yellow (yellowish to reddish brown); without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour (yellowish grey to pale brown). Odour indistinct or absent. Density 0.78–0.87 g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or in radial rows of 4 or more. Two distinct vessel diameter classes absent. Average tangential vessel diameter (200–)240–280(–350) µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 2–6. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 6–8–10 µm, pits vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses absent. Other deposits present.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness, or very thick-walled. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Bands marginal (or seemingly marginal). Bands fine. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma aliform, or confluent. Aliform parenchyma of the lozenge type. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 3–5.
Rays. Rays multiseriate, 2–4 cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 µm, or commonly 500 to 1000 µm. Rays composed of a single cell type (homocellular), or two or more cell types (heterocellular); homocellular ray cells procumbent. Heterocellular rays with square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows, mostly 1 marginal row of upright or square cells. Tile cells absent.
Storied structures. Storied structure present or absent (depending on species), all rays storied or rays not storied, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied, fibres not storied. Arrangement of tiers regular. Number of ray tiers per axial millimetre 2–3.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent. Laticifers or tanniniferous tubes absent.
Cambial variants. Included phloem absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood extractives not leachable by water. Froth test negative.
Illustrations. • Macroscopic images. transverse (ca. 10x). surface (natural size). tangential. radial. • Transverse section. Andira coriacea. • Tangential section 1. Andira surinamensis: rays storied. • Tangential section 2. Andira coriacea: rays not storied. • Radial section. Andira coriacea.
The interactive key allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting specified attributes, summaries of attributes within groups of taxa, and geographical distribution.
Cite this publication as: ‘Richter, H.G., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2000 onwards. Commercial timbers: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. In English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Version: 9th April 2019. delta-intkey.com’.
