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Nomenclature etc. MELIACEAE. K. ivorensis A. Chev.; K. anthotheca (syn.: Garretia anthotheca Welw.); K. grandifoliola C.DC. Trade and local names: Afrikanisches Mahagoni, Khaya (DE); Benin-, Lagos-mahagoni (NG); Dubini-, Axim-, Accra-, Tacoradi mahagony (GH); n'gollon, n'dola, Kap Lopez mahagoni (GA); Grand Bassam mahagoni (CI); undianunu (AO); acajou d'Afrique (FR); Douala mahonie (NL). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.
General. Heartwood basically brown to red. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Density 0.42–0.47–0.57 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 110–160–245 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 2–3–7. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 2–3 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Other deposits present (orange brown).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length (960–)1380–1620(–2000) µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres septate and non-septate, or non-septate; scattered near vessels and rays (only in some specimens).
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma not banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 4(–8). Banded parenchyma occasionally present (traumatic?) but not characteristic for the genus.
Rays. Rays 8–11 per tangential mm, multiseriate, (2–)3–5(–7) cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 µm. 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 and mostly 2–4 marginal rows of upright or square cells (rarely).
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals present (rarely), traumatic origin, oriented axially, axial intercellular canals in long tangential lines and in short tangential lines.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells and 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.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent; colour of water extract colourless to brown, or red. Ethanol extract fluorescent (yellowish). Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown, or red. Froth test positive. Splinter burns to full ash. Ash white to grey.
Illustrations. • Macroscopic images. Khaya anthotheca. transverse (ca. 10x). radial (natural size). • Transverse section. Khaya anthotheca. • Tangential section. Khaya anthotheca. • Radial section. Khaya anthotheca. prismatic crystals in marginal ray cells.
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’.
