Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Terminalia amazonia (Gmel.) Exell (Nargusta, amarillo)

Nomenclature etc. COMBRETACEAE. + T. guianensis Aubl. Trade and local names: nargusta, pardillo amarillo, amarillón.

Description based on: 6 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: Mexico and Central America and tropical South America.

General. Growth ring boundaries distinct. Heartwood basically brown yellow green (yellowish olive to golden brown), with streaks. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.57–0.8 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples. Average tangential vessel diameter 90–185 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 6–15. Average vessel element length 349–625 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 8–10 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Tyloses in vessels present.

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 1187–1732 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres septate and non-septate.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma aliform, or confluent. Aliform parenchyma lozenge. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 3–4.

Rays. Rays 12–15 per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate. Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent.

Storied structures. Storied structure absent.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic or styloids or elongate, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells procumbent. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.

Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent. Water extract basically colourless to brown or shade of brown. Ethanol extract fluorescent. Ethanol extract basically colourless to brown or shade of brown.


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