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Nomenclature etc. MALVACEAE (STERCULIACEAE). Incl. H. javanica, H. simplicifolia, H. borneensis, H. elata. Trade and local names: mengkulang (MY); palapi, teraling, tarrietia (ID); huynh (VN); dong chem, sempong, sonloc (KH); lumbayau (PH); may nhom pa (LA), kanzo (MM). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Tree. Geographic distribution: Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indomalesia.
General. Heartwood basically brown, red (light to dark reddish brown). Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Density (0.55–)0.62–0.7(–0.8) g/cm³. Wood surface slightly oily due to rubber-like cell contents.
Vessels. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or in radial rows of 4 or more. Some of the larger vessels typically appended with radial rows of many small and radially flattended vessels. Average tangential vessel diameter (100–)170–310 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 1–4 (not counting vessel tails with many small vessels). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 3–5 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits present (yellowish to reddish brown).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 900–1600–2300 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded or not banded. Bands not marginal (or seemingly marginal). Bands fine or coarse. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse, or diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: (2–)4.
Rays. Rays 3–10 per tangential mm, multiseriate, (1–)3–7 cells wide. Rays of two distinct sizes. Height of large rays commonly over 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. Sheath cells present.
Storied structures. Storied structure present, some rays storied, some not, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied, fibres storied. All tissues storied except largest rays.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells (rarely). Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells not chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica present, as grains; in rays cells, in axial parenchyma (very little in axial parenchyma). The occurrence of silica in asian representatives of the Heritiera/Tarrietia group is the only reliable feature separating the former from the african species (Tarrietia utilis and T. densiflora = Niangon).
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent; colour of water extract colourless to brown. Ethanol extract fluorescent (H. simplicifolia: light blue), or not fluorescent (H. javanica). Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Splinter burns to full ash. Ash white to grey.
Illustrations. • Macroscopic images. transverse (ca. 10x). radial (natural size). • Transverse section. Heritiera javanica. • Tangential section 1. Heritiera javanica. • Tangential section 2. Heritiera simplicifolia. neatly storied arrangement of rays, parenchyma and fibres in this species. • Radial section. Heritiera javanica. • Storied elements. Heritiera javanica. storied axial elements (axial parenchyma and fibres).
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’.
