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Nomenclature. Family: THYMELAEACEAE. Other trade relevant species: the timber sold under the name of ramin can also include other species as for instance G. macrophyllus, G. warburgianus. Further trade and local names: ahmin, kaya garu, melawis, ramin telur (MY); lanutan, bagyo (PH); gaharu buaja, garu buaja (ID). Code according to DIN EN 13556: GYBN.
CITES(EU) status of protection. Listed in Annex II(B).
Similar timbers. Alstonia spp., Antiaris spp., Brosimum alicastrum, Dyera costulata, Endospermum spp., Chrysophyllum beguei (syn. Gambeya beguei), Jacaranda copaia, Neolamarckia cadamba, Pterygota spp., Simarouba amara, Terminalia superba.
Geographic distribution. Indomalesia. The most important trade timber, Gonystylus bancanus, grows in western Borneo.
Growth rings, colour, grain, etc. Growth ring boundaries indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically yellow to white or grey. Sapwood similar to heartwood colour. Green wood is yellowish, dry wood is yellowish white or straw-coloured. Sporadically, dark brown zones (discoloured heartwood) form in old trees. Odour distinct, or indistinct or absent (dry wood mostly odourless; occasionally, however, with a very unpleasant odour, particulary when remoistened). Wood of medium weight (0.54–0,63–0.75 g/cm3). Interlocked grain present (rarely), or absent.
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, or large (85–150–200 µm); few (9–14). Tyloses absent. Other deposits in heartwood vessels (pores) absent (except for the rare occurrence of some amber coloured extractives).
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma present; not banded. Other macroscopically visible types of axial parenchyma: aliform winged and confluent.
Rays. Rays narrow. Large rays commonly less than 1 mm high.
Storied structure. Storied structure absent.
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. Froth test positive. Splinter burns to partial ash (with strong smoke emission); colour of ash white to grey.
Additional information. See also: Informationsdienst Holz Merkblatt Nr. 27. • Transverse section + wood surface. Transverse section ca. 10x. Wood surface, natural size. • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Alstonia spp.. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Alstonia spp. (Pulai). Alstonia spp. possess frequent radial pore groups (marked), the axial parenchyma is primarily banded. • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Antiaris spp.. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Antiaris spp. (Ako). The vessels of Antiaris spp. are larger and filled with tyloses. The axial parenchyma of Antiaris spp. is exclusively vasicentric (marked). • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Chrysophyllum beguei. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Chrysophyllum beguei (Aningré blanc). The vessels of Chrysophyllum beguei are almost exclusively grouped in long radial multiples and in heartwood filled with tyloses. The axial parenchyma is diffuse-in-aggregates (fine lines between rays, marked) and difficult to detect macroscopically. • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Dyera costulata. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Dyera costulata (Jelutong). The vessels of Dyera costulata are almost exclusively grouped in radial multiples. The axial parenchyma is diffuse-in-aggregates (fine lines between rays, marked) and easy to detect macroscopically. • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Endospermum spp.. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Endospermum spp. (Sesendok). As opposed to Gonystylus spp., Endospermum spp. has exclusively banded axial parenchyma (marked). Moreover the vessels are somewhat larger and occasionally filled with tyloses. • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Neolamarckia cadamba. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Neolamarckia cadamba (Kadam). The vessels of Neolamarckia cadamba are larger than those of Gonystylus spp. and frequently grouped in short radial multiples. The axial parenchyma is diffuse-in-aggregates (fine lines between rays, marked) and fairly distinct macroscopically. • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Pterygota spp.. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Pterygota spp. (Koto). The rays and parenchyma bands are much wider in Pterygota spp. than in Gonystylus spp.. The resulting network is easily visible to the naked eye. • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Simarouba amara. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Simarouba amara (Marupá). Simarouba amara and Gonystylus spp. are very similar in external appearance (colour) and structure. Simarouba amara, however, has larger and less numerous vessels; the rays are somewhat wider and storied (visible on tangential section). • Comparison Gonystylus spp. vs Terminalia superba. Gonystylus spp. (Ramin). Terminalia superba (Limba). Gonystylus spp. und Terminalia superba are similar in external appearance and macro structure (transverse section). However, Terminalia superba has much larger and fewer vessels often filled with tyloses. Moreover, the wood of Terminalia superba is darker with a greenish hue.
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’.
