Lophira alata Banks ex Gaertn.f. (Azobé, bongossi)
Nomenclature etc. OCHNACEAE. Syn.: L. procera A. Chev. Trade and local names: Azobé (D, F, CI, GH, WAN); Bongossi (D, CAM, WAN); Ekki, Eba (GB, WAN); Asso, Edoum, Ous (CI); Hendui (WAL), Kaku (GH); Akélé, Bang, Okoa (CAM); Akoga, Akoura (G); Aya, Bonkolé (B, ZRE, RCA); Red Ironwood (GB).
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.
General. Heartwood basically brown red to brown (dark) brown to purple (dark), without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.95–1.05–1.15 g/cm³. Transition zone between sapwood and heartwood; heavily interlocked grain.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 200–252–315 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 1–4–7. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 2–4 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (predominantly light coloured and macroscopically distinct from the dark wood).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres very thick-walled. Average fibre length 1700–2400–2900 µm. Fibre pits common in both radial and tangential walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded and not banded (predominantly banded). Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand (6–)8–10(–14).
Rays. Rays 8–11 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 1–2–3 cells wide (uniseriates rare). Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered and not chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Miscellaneous. • Transverse section. Lophira alata. • Tangential section. Lophira alata. • Radial section. Lophira alata.
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).
