Hymenaea courbaril L., Hymenaea spp. (Jatobá, courbaril)
Nomenclature etc. CAESALPINIACEAE. Trade and local names: Courbaril (D, F, GUY), Jatob... (D, BR), Algarrobo (BR, YV), Corobore (YV), Jutabí, Jutahy, Fainheira (BR), Coubaril (F, GB), Locust (GB, NL), Kawanari, Itaiba Locust (GUY), Algarroba, Coapinol, Nere (MEX), Guapinol (MEX, NIC, CR), Avati (PA), Copalier (GUY, ANT), Rode Locust, Witte Locust, West Indian Locust.
Tree. Geographic distribution: Mexico and Central America, Caribbean, and tropical South America.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct, growth ring boundaries demarcated by marginal parenchyma. Heartwood basically brown to red to purple (orange to purplish brown), nearly black with streaks or without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.71–0.82–0.9 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 75–175–260 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 1–3–6. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) (5–)7–9 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Tyloses in vessels absent. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present, dark brown.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness to very thick-walled. Average fibre length 730–1370–1860 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered (numerous and distinct). Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded and not banded. Axial parenchyma bands not marginal (or seemingly marginal). Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, or aliform to confluent. Aliform parenchyma predominantly lozenge, or winged. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 2–4.
Rays. Rays 6–9 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 1–4–6 cells wide. Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals present, traumatic origin, axial type, in short tangential lines. Information about traumatic canals extracted from literature.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. 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).