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Nomenclature etc. FABACEAE-CAESALPINIOIDEAE. Cynometra malaccensis, C. ramiflora, C. elmeri, C. inaequifolia, C. mirabilis. Trade and local names: belangan (MY); katong, katong-katong (MY-SWK/SAB); kateng, kepel (ID); oringen, balitbitan (PH); chum-prinh (KH); mangkhak, katong (TH). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Tree. Geographic distribution: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indomalesia.
General. Heartwood basically dark brown; with streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Density (0.72–)0.85–1.06(–1.15) g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or in radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 120–140(–220) µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 2–5(–10). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 3–4(–5) µm, pits vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses absent. Other deposits not observed.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness to very thick-walled. Average fibre length 1500–2500 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Bands marginal (or seemingly marginal) (only occasionally, narrow) or not marginal (or seemingly marginal). Axial parenchyma bands much wider than rays. Bands coarse. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma aliform, or confluent. Aliform parenchyma of the lozenge type, or of the winged type. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: (2–)4.
Rays. Rays 8–10 per tangential mm, multiseriate, (1–)2–3(–4) cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 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.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.
Cambial variants. Included phloem absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square or procumbent, upright and/or square ray cells chambered. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Illustrations. • Transverse section. Cynometra inaequifolia. • Tangential section. Cynometra inaequifolia. • Radial section. Cynometra inaequifolia.
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’.
