Amphimas ferrugineus Pierre, A. pterocarpoides Harms (Lati)
Nomenclature etc. CAESALPINIACEAE. Trade and local names: lati (CI,D), edjin, edzil (CAM), edzui (G), muizi (RPC), bokanga (ZRE), zehoui, kouedi (CI), va-tue, vahu-chu (LB). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct. Heartwood basically yellow to white or grey. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.74 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 100–245–370 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 1–3. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 8–11 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits in heartwood vessels not observed.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres very thick-walled. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma aliform to confluent. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4(–6).
Rays. Rays 5–7 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 2–4(–6) cells wide. Rays with multiseriate portions as wide as uniseriate portions absent. Rays composed of a single cell type, or two or more cell types. Homocellular ray cells procumbent. Heterocellular rays square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows. Number of marginal rows of upright or square cells 1.
Storied structures. Storied structure present, all rays storied, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied, fibres not storied. Storied structure in some specimens little distinct.
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 not observed.
Miscellaneous. • Transverse section. Amphimas ferrugineus. • Tangential section. Amphimas pterocarpoides. Note: Rays storeyed in this specimen. • Tangential section. Amphimas pterocarpoides. Note: Rays non-storeyed in this specimen. • Radial section. Amphimas pterocarpoides.
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).
