Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Ecclinusa spp. (Ucuquirana)

Nomenclature etc. SAPOTACEAE. E. guianensis, E. lanceolata, E. obovata. Trade and local names: chicle, coquirana, guac , bartaballi, asepoko, abiurana, jaune d'oeuf, jamboka. Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.

Description based on: 10 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical South America.

General. Heartwood basically brown (with a pinkish or greyish tinge). Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.57–0.75 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in diagonal and/or radial pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 59–94 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 13–57. Average vessel element length 560–920 µm (data from Kukachka, May 1981). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 4–8 µm. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, horizontal to vertical, of two distinct sizes or types in the same ray cell. Tyloses in vessels present.

Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids commonly present. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 950–1410 µm (data from Kukachka, May 1981). Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands fine, up to three cells wide. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 3–8.

Rays. Rays 12–18 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 1–2 cells wide. Rays composed of two or more cell types. Heterocellular rays square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows, or procumbent, square and upright cells mixed throughout the ray. Number of marginal rows of upright or square cells 2–4. Disjunctive ray parenchyma end walls distinct.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals not observed. Silica present, as grains, in rays cells or in axial parenchyma.

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


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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