Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Licaria capitata

Nomenclature etc. LAURACEAE. Trade and local names: Louro, canela (BR); laurel, canela (EC, CO, RA etc.); kaneel (SME); silverballi (GUY). All names with various epithets as a function of species and region.

Tree. Geographic distribution: Mexico and Central America to temperate South America.

General. Growth ring boundaries distinct or indistinct or absent. Heartwood basically brown and yellow green. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Odour distinct, or indistinct or absent. Basic specific gravity 0.6–0.9 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Vessel outline rounded, or angular. Average tangential vessel diameter (55–)70–110(–130) µm. Average tangential diameter of vessel lumina medium, or large. Average number of vessels/mm² (11–)13–24(–28). Vessels per square millimetre few, or moderately numerous. Perforation plates simple or scalariform, with 1–15 bars. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) (7–)9–11(–12) µm, medium or large. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, rounded or angular and horizontal to vertical, of uniform size or type. Tyloses in vessels present, thinwalled and sclerotic.

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 750–1200 µm. Average fibre length medium. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres exclusively septate. Septate fibres evenly distributed.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4–8.

Rays. Rays multiseriate, also if only few, 2–3 cells wide, 2–3 cells wide. Height of large rays commonly 500 to 1000 µm. 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.

Storied structures. Storied structure absent.

Secretory structures. Oil and mucilage cells present, cell type oil and mucilage cells are associated with axial parenchyma or ray parenchyma. Intercellular canals absent. Laticifers or tanniniferous tubes absent.

Cambial variants. Included phloem absent. Other cambial variants absent.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, needle-like (acicular) to in other forms, located in ray cells or fibres. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square or procumbent. Number of crystals per cell or chamber more than one. Silica not observed.

Physical and chemical tests. Water extract basically colourless to brown or shade of brown. Ethanol extract basically yellow or shade of yellow.


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).

Index