Aningeria spp. (Aningré)
Nomenclature etc. SAPOTACEAE. Aningeria altissima (A. Chev.) Aubr. & Pellegr.- Syn.: Hormogyne altissima A. Chev., Sideroxylon altissimum (A. Chev.) Hutch. & Dalz., Pouteria gabonensis A. Chev., Sideroxylon gabonense H. Lec. ex Pellegr.; Aningeria robusta (A. Chev.) Aubr. Pellegr.- Syn.: A. pierrei (Chev.) Aubr. & Pellegr., Malacantha robusta A. Chev., Pouteria aningeri Baehni, Hormogyne pierrei A. Chev. Trade and local names: aningré blanc, longhi blanc (D, F), aninguéri, anigré, agnégré (F), aningeria (GB), kali (D), grogoli, koandio, osam (CI), mukali (ANG), mukalla (RPC), inon, agwa (NWAN), mukangu (EAK), osan (EAU). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa (West and East Africa).
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct. Heartwood basically brown to yellow to white or grey red to white or grey. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.48–0.52–0.58 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows and radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 60–105–150 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 12–16–22. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 5–7 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders and with reduced borders or apparently simple, similar to intervessel pits, horizontal to vertical, of two distinct sizes or types in the same ray cell, of the same type in adjacent elements and unilaterally compound and coarse. Tyloses in vessels present, thinwalled.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 928–1112–1310 µm. Fibre pits common in both radial and tangential walls, simple to minutely bordered.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), reticulate, fine, up to three cells wide. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4–8.
Rays. Rays 7–12 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, (1–)2–4 cells wide. Rays with multiseriate portions as wide as uniseriate portions present. 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 and more than 4. Disjunctive ray parenchyma end walls indistinct or absent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals 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 present, as grains, in rays cells. SiO2 particles typically larger in marginal cells, smaller in procumbent cells.
Physical and chemical tests. Froth test positive.
Miscellaneous. • Wood surface. Aningeria robusta, radial surface. • Transverse section. Aningeria robusta. • Tangential section. Aningeria robusta. • Radial section. Aningeria superba. Inset: Silica grains in ray cells often obscured by droplets of organic compounds. • aning_v.jpg. Silica grains in ray cells typically decreasing in size from marginal towards centrally located cells.
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).
