Shorea spp., subg. Richetia (Yellow meranti, meranti kuning)
Nomenclature etc. DIPTEROCARPACEAE. S. acuminatissima, S. faguetiana, S. gibbosa, S. hopeifolia, S. multiflora, etc. Trade and local names: yellow meranti (MAL, Handel); yellow seraya (MAL-Sab); yellow lauan (RP); meranti kuning (RI); meranti damar hitam (MAL); selangan kuning, s. kacha (MAL-Sab).
Tree. Geographic distribution: Indomalesia.
General. Heartwood basically yellow. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.4–0.62–0.75 g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 150–200–250 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 4–9. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 6–7 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders or with reduced borders or apparently simple, similar to intervessel pits, rounded or angular or horizontal to vertical (mostly round to oval). Large pits with reduced borders in marginal cells, small pits in procumbent cells. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses in vessels present, thinwalled.
Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids commonly present (vasicentric). Fibres very thin-walled, or of medium wall thickness. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, or aliform, or confluent. Aliform parenchyma winged. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4–6.
Rays. Rays 5–9 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, (1–)3–6 cells wide. Rays of two distinct sizes. 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 1, or 2–4. Sheath cells absent.
Storied structures. Storied structure present or absent, axial parenchyma storied.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals present, axial type or radial type, in long tangential lines or in short tangential lines. Radial intervascular canals present in all species.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square or procumbent. 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).