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| Commercial timbers |
Nomenclature etc. MALVACEAE (BOMBACACEAE). Syn.: Bombacopsis quinata (Jacq.) Dugand. Trade and local names: pochote (CR, MX, NI); saqui-saqui (BO, VE), aba (HN); cedro espino (HN, PA); ceibo (PA); ceiba tolua (CO). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Description based on 6 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: Mexico and Central America, tropical South America.
General. Heartwood basically red (pale pinkish brown when freshly cut, becoming light to dark reddish brown on esxposure). Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour, or distinct from heartwood colour (sapwood yellowish). Density 0.36–0.55 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 256–266–390 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 2–4(–5). Average vessel element length (120–)371–490 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 9–13 µm. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, rounded or angular. Tyloses present, thinwalled. Other deposits present.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length (520–)1700–1980 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres exclusively septate; evenly distributed.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse, or diffuse-in-aggregates (short bandlets). Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 3–8.
Rays. Rays 5–8 per tangential mm, multiseriate, (1–)5–7 cells wide. Height of large rays commonly 500 to 1000 µm. Rays composed of two or more cell types (heterocellular). Heterocellular rays with square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows, mostly 1 marginal row of upright or square cells. Sheath cells absent.
Storied structures. Storied structure present, all rays storied or some rays storied, some not, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied.
Secretory structures. Oil and mucilage cells absent. Intercellular canals absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic or druses, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square or procumbent. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract fluorescent (light blue-green); colour of water extract colourless to brown, or yellow. Ethanol extract fluorescent (light blue-green). Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown.
Illustrations. • Querschnitt. • Tangentialschnitt. Holzstrahlen und Axialparenchym mit Stockwerkbau. • Radialschnitt.
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’.
