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Nomenclature etc. MYRTACEAE. Indomalesian species considered: Syzygium duthieanum (King) Masam., S. dyerianum (King) P. Chantaranothai & J. Parnell, S. luzonense (Merr.) Merr., S. splendens (Blume) Merr. & Perry, S. suringarianum (Koord. & Valeton) Amshoff. Trade and local names: ki tembaga, jambu laut (ID); jambu, obar, obah (MY); water gum (PG); makaasim (PH); thabye-gui (MM); wa, daeng (TH).
Description based on 10 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indomalesia.
General. Growth ring boundaries rarely distinct or indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown, red, purple (from light pink brown to dark reddish brown, often with a purple tinge). Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour, or distinct from heartwood colour. Density (0.7–)0.85–0.91(–1.02) g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Vessel outline rounded (frequently with oval contour). Average tangential vessel diameter (105–)120–170(–230) µm. Average number of vessels/mm² (8–)11–13(–16). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 7–10 µm, pits vestured. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, different from intervessel pits, rounded or angular or horizontal to vertical. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses present, thinwalled. Other deposits present (but not frequent).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness, or very thick-walled. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered or distinctly bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma not banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, or aliform, or confluent (occasionally forming longer bands), or unilateral. Aliform parenchyma of the winged type. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: (4–)6–9.
Rays. Rays multiseriate, 3–5 cells wide. Rays of two distinct sizes, or of one size. 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, mostly 1 marginal row of upright or square cells or mostly 2–4 marginal rows of upright or square cells or with more than 4 marginal rows of upright or square cells.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent. Laticifers or tanniniferous tubes absent.
Cambial variants. Included phloem absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present (in some species) or not observed (in other species), prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells not chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Illustrations. • Transverse section 1. Syzygium dyerianum: confluence of axial parenchyma little pronounced. • Transverse section 2. Syzygium splendens: extensive confluence of axial parenchyma gives rise to the formation of wavy bands. • Tangential section 1. Syzygium dyerianum. • Tangential section 2. Syzygium sp.: high concentration of organic deposits in axial and ray parenchyma. • Radial section. Syzygium splendens. • Vessel-ray pits, crystals. Syzygium sp.: vessel-ray pits with reduced borders, gash-like. Syzygium luzonense: prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma 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’.
