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Nomenclature etc. GOUPIACEAE (CELASTRACEAE). Syn.: Goupia paraensis Huber, G. tomentosa Aubl., Glossopetalum glabrum J.F. Gmel., G. tomentosum J.F. Gmel. Trade and local names: cachaceiro, copiuva (BR); chaquiro, sapino, saino (CO); kabukalli, copi (GY); goupi, bois caca (GF); capricornia (PE); koepie (SR); congrio blanco (VE). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Description based on 7 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical South America.
General. Heartwood basically orange brown (orange). Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Odour distinct (unpleasant). Density 0.73–0.8 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels exclusively solitary. Two distinct vessel diameter classes absent. Average tangential vessel diameter 160–190 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 5–10. Average vessel element length 700–1200 µm. Perforation plates scalariform, with 5–10 bars. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 3–5 µm. Contacts between vessels extremely rare; information about pit arrangement and size accessible via crossfield pitting. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits present (light reddish-brown, rare).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Fibre pits common in both radial and tangential walls, distinctly bordered.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse, or diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 4–8.
Rays. Rays 8–12 per tangential mm, multiseriate, 2–4 cells wide. Rays with multiseriate portions as wide as uniseriate portions present (occasionally). 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, with more than 4 marginal rows of upright or square cells (commonly 5–20 marginal rows).
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells not chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
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’.
