Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Terminalia superba Engl.& Diels (Limba)

Nomenclature etc. COMBRETACEAE. Syn.: Terminalia altissima A.Chev. Trade and local names: limba, fraké (für kernfreies Limba: limba (ANG, D, ZRE), limba blanc, limba clair (F) limbo (RPC), white afara (GB), fraké (CI), akom (CAM, EGu), afara (WAN) efram (GH) moulimba (ANG) für dunkelkerniges Limba: limba noir, limba bariolé, noyer du Mayombe (F) weitere Lokalnamen: egoin (WAN) framo, ekblale, farayen frameri (GH), baye (LB), bagi, kojagei, bili (WAL) fram tra (CI), nkom, bakome, end, mukonja, akom (CAM), ndimba (RPC), chêne-limbo.

Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.

General. Growth ring boundaries distinct, growth ring limits demarcated by lower vessel frequency and thicker walled fibres. Heartwood basically brown to yellow to white or grey to green. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour, or distinct from heartwood colour (colour difference only when discolored heartwood is present). Basic specific gravity 0.4–0.52–0.69 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 70–170–300 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 3–4. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 8–11 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses in vessels present, thinwalled. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (brown, only in discoloured heartwood).

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 550–1200–1950 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric to aliform to confluent. Aliform parenchyma winged. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 2–4–6.

Rays. Rays 9–15 per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate (with very few 2-seriates). Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, styloids or elongate, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells not chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. 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).

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