Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Guibourtia ehie (A. Chev.) J. Léonard (Amazakoue)

Nomenclature etc. CAESALPINIACEAE. Syn.: Copaifera ehie A. Chev. Trade and local names: ovengkol (D, CAM, G); amazakoue (D); amazoue, whimawe (CI); mongoy (G, EGu,); anokye, ehie, hyeduanini, hyedun (GH); "palissandro" (EGu).

Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.

General. Growth ring boundaries distinct, growth ring limits demarcated by marginal parenchyma and slight changes in vessel frequency. Heartwood basically brown to yellow brown to purple, with streaks (purplish to almost black colour striping). Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.66–0.75–0.88 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 (120–)130–140–160 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 3–5–7. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 7–10 µm, vestured. Intervessel pits possess a particularly large porus. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses in vessels absent. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (dark olive-brown).

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness to very thick-walled. Average fibre length 700–1220–1630 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate. Fibre pits large and conspicuous.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded (rarely) or not banded. Axial parenchyma bands not marginal (or seemingly marginal). Axial parenchyma apotracheal and paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse (then mostly thick-walled, crystalliferous and located immediately adjacent to rays). Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric to aliform to confluent. Aliform parenchyma lozenge. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand (2–)4–8.

Rays. Rays 4–8 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 1–3–5 cells wide. Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent. Ray hight approximately 0.4–0.6 mm.

Storied structures. Storied structure absent.

Secretory structures. Intercellular canals 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 mostly of normal size (some individual chambers slightly enlarged). 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).

Index