Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Entandrophragma candollei Harms (Kosipo)

Nomenclature etc. MELIACEAE. Syn.: Entandrophragma ferrugineum A. Chev. Trade and local names: kosipo (D, CI, F), boubousson rouge, vroudi (CI), heavy sapele, omu (GB, WAN), atom-assié, klatié (CAM), lifaki (ZRE), mpempe (RPC), assoré, ikwapobo (WAN), kossipo (NL), lifuko (ANG), penkwa (GH). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.

Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.

General. Heartwood basically brown to red, without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.55–0.58–0.65 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 160–210–270 µm. Average tangential diameter of vessel lumina large. Average number of vessels/mm² 2–5. Vessels per square millimetre very few. Average vessel element length 500–600 µm. Average vessel element length medium. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 2–3 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses in vessels absent. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (reddish brown).

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 1085–1860–2600 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate. Fibre lumina frequently containing reddish brown compounds.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, confluent, and unilateral paratracheal. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4–8(–13).

Rays. Rays 5–6 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 3–6 cells wide. 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. Intercellular canals absent.

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

Miscellaneous. • Transverse section. Entandrophragma candollei. • Tangential section. Entandrophragma candollei. • Radial section. Entandrophragma candollei. (Inset: silica particles in ray cells).


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