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Nomenclature etc. DIPTEROCARPACEAE. S. assamica, S. bracteolata, S. dealbata, S. hypochra, S. javanica, S. lamellata, etc. Trade and local names: white meranti (MY, ID, trade); meranti putih, kayu tahan (ID); melapi (MY-sab, ID-kal); white lauan (PH); lumbor (KH); khiem kha norng, takhian-sai, chai, pa-nong (TH); bo-bo (VN). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Tree. Geographic distribution: Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indomalesia.
General. Heartwood basically yellow, white or grey. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Density 0.45–0.67–0.85 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter (170–)230–270 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 4–9. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 5–7 µm, pits vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders or with reduced borders or apparently simple, similar to intervessel pits, rounded or angular. Tyloses present, thinwalled.
Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids commonly present. Fibres very thin-walled, or of medium wall thickness. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded (axial resin canals in some species present, embedded in parenchyma bands) or not banded. Bands fine to coarse. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, or aliform, or confluent. Aliform parenchyma of the winged type. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 4–6.
Rays. Rays 4–7 per tangential mm, multiseriate, (2–)3–4 cells wide. 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 present, rays not storied, axial parenchyma storied.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals present, oriented axially, axial intercellular canals in long tangential lines or in short tangential lines.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals not observed. Silica present, as grains; in rays cells.
Illustrations. • Transverse section. Shorea gratissima. axial intercellular canals (IC) in tangential bands. IC. • Tangential section. Shorea symingtonii. • Radial section. silica grains in rays of all species. Shorea sp.
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’.
