Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Brosimum alicastrum Swartz (Capomo, ramón, ojoche, muiratinga)

Nomenclature etc. MORACEAE. + Brosimum costaricanum. Trade and local names: capomo, charo amarillo. Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.

Description based on: 5 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: Caribbean, or Mexico and Central America to tropical South America.

General. Heartwood basically yellow white or grey, without streaks. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.6–0.7 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 40–130 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 6–20. Average vessel element length 220–640 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 5–7 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Tyloses in vessels absent.

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 940–1710 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma present, not banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma aliform to confluent, or unilateral paratracheal. Aliform parenchyma winged. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 3–4.

Rays. Rays 6–12 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 3–4 cells wide. Rays composed of two or more cell types. Heterocellular rays square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows. Number of marginal rows of upright or square cells 2–4, or more than 4.

Storied structures. Storied structure absent.

Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent. Laticifers or tanniniferous tubes present (latex tubes in rays).

Cambial variants. Included phloem absent.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square and procumbent, upright and/or square ray cells chambered. Crystals in procumbent ray cells in radial alignment, or not in radial alignment. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one, or more than one. Crystals in one cell or chamber of two distinct sizes. Silica not observed.

Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract fluorescent, or not fluorescent (light blue). Water extract basically colourless to brown or shade of brown to yellow or shade of yellow. Ethanol extract fluorescent, or not 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).

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