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Nomenclature etc. FABACEAE-CAESALPINIOIDEAE. Incl. Dialium indum L., D. procerum (v. Steenis) Stey., D. kunstleri etc. Trade and local names: kranji (ID); velvet tamarind, tamarind plum (GB); taung-kaye (MM); kralanh, k.lomié (KH); kayi-khao, yi-thongbung (TH); xoay (VN). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Tree. Geographic distribution: Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indomalesia.
General. Heartwood basically brown; without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Density 0.75–1.05 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or in radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 120–320 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 3–7. Average vessel element length 260–470 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 8–10 µm, pits vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Other deposits present (brown and white).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness to very thick-walled. Average fibre length 900–1930 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Bands not marginal (or seemingly marginal). Bands fine or coarse, 3–5 per radial mm. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 3–4.
Rays. Rays 6–11(–19) per tangential mm, multiseriate, 2–3 cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 µm. Rays composed of a single cell type (homocellular); homocellular ray cells procumbent.
Storied structures. Storied structure present, all rays storied, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied, fibres storied. Number of ray tiers per axial millimetre 2–3.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. 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 not fluorescent; colour of water extract colourless to brown. Ethanol extract bright blue fluorescent. Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Splinter burns to charcoal.
Illustrations. • Transverse section. • Tangential section. • Radial section.
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’.
