| | CITESwoodID: descriptions, illustrations, identification and information retrieval |
Nomenclature. Family: BIGNONIACEAE. Other trade relevant species: Handroanthus heptaphyllus, H. serratifolius. Synonym(s): H. heptaphyllus: Tabebuia heptaphylla, T. ipe; H serratifolius: Tabebuia serratifolia, Tecoma serratifolia. Further trade and local names: capitary, carobeira, pau d'arco (BR); arco, canuguate, guyacán (CO); arahonie, ebéne vert (GF); taiy (PY); groenheart (SR); tajibo amarillo (BO); puy (VE); arcwood, bastard lignum vitae (US). Code according to DIN EN 13556: TBXX.
CITES(EU) status of protection. Listed in Annex II(B).
Similar timbers. Of similar appearance are several heavy timbers with a dark oliv-brown heartwood such as those belonging to the genera Guaiacum (Lignum vitae, CITES II), Bulnesia sarmientoi (Palo santo, CITES II) and Chlorocardium (Greenheart, not protected).
Geographic distribution. Tropical South America to temperate South America.
Growth rings, colour, grain, etc. Growth ring boundaries distinct, or indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown, yellow, green; occasionally with streaks. Sapwood distinct from heartwood colour. Wood heavy and hard (0.80–1.20 g/cm3). Interlocked grain present.
Hardwood vs softwood. Vessels (pores) present (= hardwood).
Vessels (pores). Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels (pores) in multiples; commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Vessels medium (60–95–175 µm); moderately numerous (23–40). Tyloses present. Other deposits in heartwood vessels (pores) present (yellow organic deposits, known as "lapachol" or "ipeina").
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma present; not banded. Other macroscopically visible types of axial parenchyma: vasicentric, aliform winged, confluent (occasionally also unilateral, i.e., forming semicircular hoods or caps only on one side of the vessel).
Rays. Rays narrow. Large rays commonly less than 1 mm high.
Storied structure. Storied structure present. Tiers regular (horizontal or slightly inclined); 3–4 per axial millimetre.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent; colour shade of water extract colourless to brown. Ethanol extract not fluorescent; colour shade of ethanol extract colourless to brown, or yellow. Splinter burns to charcoal (with very little light grey ash).
Additional information. See also: Informationsdienst Holz Merkblatt Nr. 87. • Transverse section + wood surface. radial surface, natural size. tangential surface, natural size. Transverse section ca. 10x. Handroanthus spp. (Ipê, Lapacho). • Comparison Handroanthus vs Chlorocardium. Handroanthus sp. Chlorocardium rodiei. Although similar in heartwood color and normal density, the two woods can be easily distinguished with the help of macroscopically recognizable structural features. The wood of Handroanthus spp. (Ipê, Lapacho) has a regular storied structure and conspicuous yellow contents in the pores. Both features are absent in Chlorocardium rodiei (Greenheart). Problems may only arise with imports from Surinam, where the wood of Handroanthus spp. is marketed under the trade name "Groenhart".
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’.
