| | CITESwoodID: descriptions, illustrations, identification and information retrieval |
Nomenclature. Family: BIGNONIACEAE. Other trade relevant species: The genus Roseodendron includes two species, R. chryseum and R. donnell-smithii; only the wood of R. donnell-smithii (Primavera) is commercially relevant to a limited extent, mainly in Mexico and the USA. Synonym(s): Roseodendron donnel-smithii: Cybistax donnell-smithii, Tabebuia donnell-smithii; Roseodendron chryseum: Cybistax chrysea, Tabebuia chrysea. Further trade and local names: Roseodendron donnell-smithii: palo blanco, primavera (MX); guayape, primavera, san juán, san juan guayapeño (HO); cortez blanco (SV); palo blanco (GT); amapá amarilla (CO); guayacán blanco (EC); "white mahogany", gold tree (US). Roseodendron chryseum: alumbre, cañaguate, roble (CO); araquaney (VE). Code according to DIN EN 13556: none.
CITES(EU) status of protection. Listed in Annex II(B).
Similar timbers. Of similar appearance are nearly all light yellowish timbers of medium density.
Geographic distribution. Mexico and Central America and tropical South America (Colombia, Venezuela).
Growth rings, colour, grain, etc. Growth ring boundaries distinct (marked by fine marginal parenchyma bands and a darker latewood zone). Heartwood basically yellow, white or grey; without streaks. Sapwood similar to heartwood colour. Odour indistinct or absent. Wood of medium weight (0,42–0,48–0,54 g/cm3). Interlocked grain present (often very irregular).
Hardwood vs softwood. Vessels (pores) present (= hardwood).
Vessels (pores). Wood semi-ring-porous, or diffuse-porous. Vessels (pores) arranged in no specific pattern; in multiples; commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Vessels medium (75–125–150 µm); few (4–6–13). Tyloses present. Other deposits in heartwood vessels (pores) absent.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma present; banded and not banded. Parenchyma bands exclusively marginal (or seemingly marginal); narrow. Other macroscopically visible types of axial parenchyma: vasicentric (sparingly).
Rays. Rays narrow. Large rays commonly less than 1 mm high.
Storied structure. Storied structure present. Tiers regular (horizontal or slightly inclined), or irregular; 3–4 per axial millimetre.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent; colour shade of water extract colourless to brown. Heartwood extractives not leachable by water. Ethanol extract fluorescent (light blue); colour shade of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Froth test positive. Splinter burns to partial ash; colour of ash dark gray to almost black.
Additional information. • Transverse section + wood surface. Transverse section ca. 10x. Radial surface, natural size. Tangential surface, natural size.
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., Gembruch, K., and Koch, G. 2014 onwards. CITESwoodID: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. In English, French, German, and Spanish. Version: 4th April 2023. www.delta-intkey.com’.
