| | CITESwoodID: descriptions, illustrations, identification and information retrieval |
Nomenclature. Family: FABACEAE-CAESALPINIOIDEAE. Other trade relevant species: Hymenaea courbaril, H. oblongifolia. Further trade and local names: guapinol (cAm); jutaí (BR); algarrobo (CO, VE); locust (GB,GY); courbaril (FR, GF); loksi, rode lokus (SR); azucar huayo (PE); "Brazilian cherry" (US). Code according to DIN EN 13556: HYCB.
CITES(EU) status of protection. Not protected.
Similar timbers. The macroscopically recognizable structural features of Jatobá (Hymenaea spp.) are almost identical to those of Bubinga (Guibourtia spp.); the respective timbers differ in terms of heartwood colour (pink, light wine red, red-violet for Bubinga; yellowish-brown, orange-brown to deep copper brown for Jatobá) and surface fluorescence (Bubinga non-fluorescent, Jatobá with yellow fluorescence).
Geographic distribution. Mexico and Central America to tropical South America. Tropical South America, from Venezuela to northern Argentia, predominantly in Brazil; few species also in Central America and the Caribbean.
Growth rings, colour, grain, etc. Growth ring boundaries distinct (demarcated by fine marginal parenchyma bands). Heartwood basically brown, red, yellow (green wood salmon to yellowish brown, darkening to orange brown or deep copper brown); occasionally with streaks. Sapwood distinct from heartwood colour. Wood heavy and hard (0.70–0.82–0.95 g/cm3). Interlocked grain present.
Hardwood vs softwood. Vessels (pores) present (= hardwood).
Vessels (pores). Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels (pores) arranged in no specific pattern; in multiples; commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Vessels medium to large (75–175–260 µm); very few to few (1–3–6). Tyloses absent. Other deposits in heartwood vessels (pores) present (dark reddish brown).
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, aliform lozenge type.
Rays. Rays narrow. Large rays commonly less than 1 mm high.
Storied structure. Storied structure absent.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood fluorescent (yellow, of variable intensity). Water extract not fluorescent; colour shade of water extract colourless to brown. Heartwood extractives not leachable by water. Ethanol extract fluorescent (bright or pale greenish-yellow); colour shade of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Froth test positive. Splinter burns to full ash, or to partial ash; colour of ash white to grey (to dark grey).
Additional information. • Transverse section + wood surface. Transverse section ca. 10x. Radial 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’.
