Lophopetalum spp. (Perupok)
Nomenclature etc. CELASTRACEAE. Lophopetalum beccarianum Pierre, L. floribundum Wight, L. javanicum (Zoll.) Turcz., L. multinervium Ridley, L. pachyphyllum King, L. pallidum M. Lawson, L. rigidum Ridley, L. subobovatum King, L. wightianum Arn. Trade and local names: Perupok, perupuk (MAL, RI, trade); adau, dual (BRU); medang kerupuk, pasana (RI); abuab (RP); taung-yemaré (BUR); phuamphrao, dimi, samet-thung (T).
Tree. Geographic distribution: Burma to Indomalesia.
General. Growth ring boundaries indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown and yellow white or grey, without streaks. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Odour indistinct or absent. Basic specific gravity 0.4–0.64 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 80–160 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 5–12. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 2–4 µm, not vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses in vessels absent.
Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids sporadic to absent. Fibres very thin-walled, or of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 800–1200 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Helical thickenings absent. Fibres non-septate. Fibres typically in radial alignment (transverse section).
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), fine, up to three cells wide or coarse, more than three cells wide. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4–5.
Rays. Rays 12–17 per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate. Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Oil and mucilage cells absent. Intercellular canals absent. 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. 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).