Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Guilandina echinata (Lam.) Spreng. (Páu Brasil, Fernambuc, Brazilwood)

Nomenclature etc. CAESALPINIACEAE. Syn.: Caesalpinia echinata Lam. Trade and local names: Pernambuk, Fernambuk, Rotholz, Echtes Brasilholz (D); arabutan, brasiletto, ibira-pitanga, pau Brasil, pauu rosado, pau Pernambuco, ymirapiranga (BR); legno del Brasile, legnorosso (I); bois de Brésil, bois de fernambouc, pernambouc (F); brazilwood (GB).

Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical South America and southern Brazil (natural distribution ortheastern Brazil, cultivated in southern Brazil).

General. Growth ring boundaries distinct. Heartwood basically brown to red to yellow (organge brown when fresh, darkening upon exposure), without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.75–0.82–1 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 54–107–225 µm (65–100–140 fide Wagenführ). Average number of vessels/mm² 15–23–30. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 4–5 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (orange to dark brown).

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres very thick-walled. Average fibre length 610–1075–1310 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma present, banded and not banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), fine, up to three cells wide. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric to aliform to confluent. Aliform parenchyma lozenge. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 2–4 (rarely more).

Rays. Rays 7–12 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, (1–)2–3 cells wide. Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent. Occasionally also heterocellular rays.

Storied structures. Storied structure present or absent, all rays storied, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements not storied. Arrangement of tiers frequently irregular.

Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells and axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square and procumbent, upright and/or square ray cells chambered. Crystals in procumbent ray cells not in radial alignment. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one, or more than one (rarely more then one). Crystals in one cell or chamber of the same size, or of two distinct sizes (rarely in two different sizes). 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).

Index