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Nomenclature etc. FABACEAE-CAESALPINIOIDEAE. Syn.: Paraberlinia bifoliolata Pellegr. Trade and local names: ekop-beli (CM); zebrali (DE, FR).
Description based on 6 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa (CM, GQ, GA, CD, CG).
General. Growth ring boundaries indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown, yellow; with streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour (pale yellow). Density 0.65–0.77–0.86 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 (75–)170–190(–230) µm. Average number of vessels/mm² (2–)3–6(–8). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) (6–)7–9(–10) µm, pits vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Other deposits present.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length medium. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Bands marginal (or seemingly marginal). Bands fine. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse (single crystalliferous strands files individuels cristallifères). Paratracheal axial parenchyma aliform and confluent. Aliform parenchyma of the lozenge type. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 3–5.
Rays. Rays 11–13 per tangential mm, multiseriate, 1–3 cells wide. Aggregate rays absent. Height of large rays up to 500 µm. Rays composed of a single cell type (homocellular), or two or more cell types (heterocellular) (only few); homocellular ray cells procumbent. Heterocellular rays with square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows, mostly 1 marginal row of upright or square cells.
Storied structures. Storied structure present or absent, all rays storied, axial parenchyma not storied, vessel elements not storied. Arrangement of tiers irregular.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.
Cambial variants. Included phloem 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. Froth test negative.
Illustrations. • Transverse section. • Tangential section. • Radial section. • Crystals in axial parenchyma. prismatic crystals in chambered parenchyma strand (polarized light).
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’.
