Gossweilerodendron joveri Normand ex Aubrev. (Oduma)
Nomenclature etc. CAESALPINIACEAE. Trade and local names: tola (G); oduma (CAM). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.
Description based on: 1 species/specimens (three specimens). Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa (Cameroun to Gabun)).
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct. Heartwood basically brown to yellow brown to red (pinkish brown), without streaks. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour, or distinct from heartwood colour. Odour distinct. Basic specific gravity 0.45–0.6 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Vessel outline rounded. Two distinct vessel diameter classes absent. Average tangential vessel diameter 150–200–300 µm. Average tangential diameter of vessel lumina large, or very large. Average number of vessels/mm² 1–3. Vessels per square millimetre very few. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 4–5 µm, small, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits, located throughout the ray. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses in vessels absent. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (orange brown).
Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids sporadic to absent. Fibres very thin-walled, or of medium wall thickness. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), fine, up to three cells wide. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, or aliform, or confluent. Aliform parenchyma lozenge. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 3–4. Unlignified parenchyma absent.
Rays. Rays 5–8 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 2–4 cells wide, 2–3 cells wide or commonly 3–5 cells wide. Rays with multiseriate portions as wide as uniseriate portions absent. Aggregate rays absent. Height of large rays up to 500 µm. Rays composed of two or more cell types. Heterocellular rays square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows. Number of marginal rows of upright or square cells 1, or 2–4. Sheath cells absent. Tile cells absent. Perforated ray cells absent. Disjunctive ray parenchyma end walls indistinct or absent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Oil and mucilage cells absent. Intercellular canals present, non-traumatic origin, axial type, in short tangential lines or diffusely arranged. Laticifers or tanniniferous tubes absent.
Cambial variants. Included phloem absent. Other cambial variants absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Crystal containing cells of normal size. Cystoliths absent. Silica not observed.
Miscellaneous. • Transverse section. Gossweilerodendron joveri. Note axial intercelluar canals (aC). aC. aC. aC. • Tangential section. Gossweilerodendron joveri. Note many uniseriate rays (uR). uR. uR. • Radial section. Gossweilerodendron joveri. Note upright marginal ray cells (uM). uM.
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).
