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Nomenclature etc. FABACEAE-CAESALPINIOIDEAE. Probably Caesalpinia platyloba. Trade and local names: palo colorado; cascalote, coral, frijolillo, guayabón de playa, kiche, teposcuahitl (MX); "paela" (US). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Description based on 1 specimen. Tree. Geographic distribution: Mexico and Central America.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct (demarcated by very narrow marginal parenchyma bands). Heartwood basically brown, yellow (orange brown when fresh, darkening upon exposure); without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour (light yellow). Density 0.89–0.96–1.02 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 60–120–145 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 16- 20–22 (-29). Average vessel element length 240–300 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 6–8 µm, pits vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits present (orange, yet rare).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres very thick-walled. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Bands marginal (or seemingly marginal). Bands fine. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma aliform, or confluent (rarely), or unilateral. Aliform parenchyma of the lozenge type. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 2–4.
Rays. Rays multiseriate, 2 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. Arrangement of tiers regular, or irregular. Number of ray tiers per axial millimetre 3–4.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells and axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells procumbent. Crystals in procumbent ray cells in radial alignment and not in radial alignment. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Crystal containing cells slightly enlarged (idioblasts). Silica not observed.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract fluorescent (light yellowish); colour of water extract yellow. Ethanol extract fluorescent (light yellow with orange hue). Colour of ethanol extract yellow. Froth test weakly positive. Splinter burns to full ash. Ash white to grey.
Illustrations. • Macroscopic images. transverse (ca. 10x). radial (natural size). Caesalpinia cf. platyloba. • Transverse section. Caesalpinia cf. platyloba. • Transverse section: enlarged. Caesalpinia cf. platyloba. • Tangential section. Caesalpinia cf. platyloba. • Radial section. Caesalpinia cf. platyloba. • Crystals. series of prismatic crystals in rays.
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’.
