Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Fagraea fragrans Roxb., Fagraea spp. (Tembesu, tembusu)

Nomenclature etc. LOGANIACEAE. Andere Arten der Gattung Fagraea, die als 'tembesu' gehandelt werden, sind: additional species of Fagraea occasionally traded as 'tembesu' are:. Trade and local names: tembesu, tamosu, kolaki, nosu (RI); tembusu, temasuk, pedang (MAL); urung, dolo, teca (RP); anan, ananma (BUR); Burma yellowheart, ironwood (GB); tatrao (K); man pa (LAO); tam sao, kankrao, man pla (T); trai (VN). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.

Tree. Geographic distribution: Burma to Indomalesia.

General. Growth ring boundaries indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown yellow to white or grey, without streaks. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Odour indistinct or absent. Basic specific gravity 0.7–1.1 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 100–200 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 6–14(–20). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 6–8 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, horizontal to vertical. Tyloses in vessels present, thinwalled.

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness, or very thick-walled. Average fibre length 900–1800 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 2–4. Parenchyma bands often wavy and interrupted.

Rays. Rays 15–17 per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate. Aggregate rays absent. Rays composed of a single cell type, or two or more cell types. Homocellular ray cells square or upright. Heterocellular rays square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows. Number of marginal rows of upright or square cells 1.

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 not observed. 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