|
| Commercial timbers |
Nomenclature etc. SAPOTACEAE. Species included in the description: M. aspera H.J. Lam, M. bejandii Aubr., M. betis (Blanco) MacBride, M. latifolia (Roxb.) MacBride, M. longifolia (Koenig) MacBride, M. neriifolia (Moon) H.J. Lam, M. pasquieri (Dubard) H.J. Lam, M. philippinensis Merr., M. pierrei (Williams) H.J. Lam, M. sericera H.J. Lam, M. utilis (Ridley) H.J. Lam. Trade and local names: bitis, nyatoh batu (MY, ID). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Tree. Geographic distribution: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indomalesia, Pacific Islands.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct (if distinct, delimited by a darker zone (earlywood?) without parenchyma) or indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown and red (pinkish-brown to reddish-brown); without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Density 0.75–1.15 g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter (55–)120(–220) µm. Average number of vessels/mm² (4–)12(–25). Average vessel element length (520–)800(–1200) µm. M. betis with more than 25 vessels per mm², very small (35–85 µm); vessels in M. longifolia much larger (110–270 µm). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) (4–)5–7(–8) µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders and with reduced borders or apparently simple, similar to intervessel pits or different from intervessel pits, rounded or angular and horizontal to vertical, of two distinct sizes or types in the same ray cell. Tyloses present, thinwalled and sclerotic. Other deposits not observed.
Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids commonly present, or sporadic to absent. Fibres of medium wall thickness, or very thick-walled. Average fibre length 900–1580(–2120) µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate. Tracheids of regular but infrequent occurrence.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded and not banded. Bands not marginal (or seemingly marginal). Axial parenchyma bands forming a reticulate pattern with rays. Bands fine, (4–)7(–12) per radial mm. Axial parenchyma apotracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse, or diffuse-in-aggregates. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 4–7.
Rays. Rays 8(–15) per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate and multiseriate (wood rays sometimes partly 2–3 seriate with uniseriate tails), 1–3 cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 µm and commonly 500 to 1000 µm (M. philippinenensis, M. longifolia: rays up to 1200 µm in height). Rays composed of two or more cell types (heterocellular). Heterocellular rays with square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows, mostly 2–4 marginal rows of upright or square cells (in M. betis rays with more than 4 marginal rows). Disjunctive ray parenchyma end walls distinct and indistinct or absent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Oil and mucilage cells absent. Intercellular canals absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present and not observed (crystals observed in: M. betis), prismatic, located in ray cells and axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber more than one. Crystals in one cell or chamber of two distinct sizes. Silica present, as grains; in rays cells and in axial parenchyma.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract fluorescent (yellow); colour of water extract colourless to brown. Heartwood extractives not leachable by water. Ethanol extract not fluorescent. Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Froth test positive. Splinter burns to partial ash. Ash white to grey.
Illustrations. • Transverse section. Madhuca betis. • Tangential section. Madhuca longifolia. • Radial section. Madhuca betis. • Silica. Madhuca betis. silica grains (Si) in ray cells. Si. Si. Si.
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’.
