Detarium senegalense Gmel., D. macrocarpum Harms (Boiré)
Nomenclature etc. CEASALPINIACEAE. D. senegalense - Syn.: D. heudelotianum Bail. Trade and local names: boiré (D, CI), mambode (D, GUB), bodo (CI), kpuyai (WAL), bowiwasi, takyikyroa (GH), alen (G), kolei, kpay (LB), ogbogbo (WAN), tallow tree (GB); D. senegalense: bobode, boiré, D. macrocarpum: aboranzork, enouk, modhon. Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct, demarcated by marginal parenchyma. Heartwood basically brown (often copper brown) brown to red brown to purple, with streaks (dark brown to black (resin canals); colour striping irrgeular, not always distinct). Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.65–0.75 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows (radial groups of 3 and some clusters occasionally present). Average tangential vessel diameter 145–250–360 µm (60–155–225 fide Wagenführ). Average number of vessels/mm² 2. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 5–7 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (dark reddish brown).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 575–935–1405 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate. Predominantly in radial arrangement.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma present, banded and not banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), fine, up to three cells wide or coarse, more than three cells wide. Frequently in combination with resin canals. Axial parenchyma apotracheal and paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric to aliform. Aliform parenchyma lozenge and winged. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 2–4–6. Also unilaterally confluent in conjunction with resin canals.
Rays. Rays 3–4 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, (1–)3–4–6 cells wide. Rays composed of a single cell type and two or more cell types. Homocellular ray cells procumbent. Heterocellular rays square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows. Number of marginal rows of upright or square cells 1 to 2–4. Mixed homocelular and heterocelular rays in a single section.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals present, non-traumatic origin, axial type, in long tangential lines or in short tangential lines.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Cystoliths absent. Silica not observed.
Cite this publication as: H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz (2000 onwards). 'Commercial timbers: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval.' In English, French, German, and Spanish. Version: 4th May 2000. http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/.
Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993 onwards, 1995 onwards, 1998) should also be cited (see General references).