Dalbergia spruceana Benth. (Amazonas Palisander, Amazonas rosewood)
Nomenclature etc. PAPILIONACEAE. Trade and local names: Amazonas Palisander (D), Amazonas rosewood (GB, USA), jacarandá do Pará, saboarana (B). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical South America.
General. Heartwood basically brown to yellow red to purple, with streaks (dark brown to black). Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.85–1 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows (rarely 4 or more). Two distinct vessel diameter classes present. Average tangential vessel diameter 115–215–390 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 1–9. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 7–10 µm, vestured. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (both amber and dark brown).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres very thick-walled. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), fine, up to three cells wide. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, aliform, and unilateral paratracheal. Aliform parenchyma winged. Axial parenchyma fusiform and as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 2(–4).
Rays. Rays 9–12 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, (1–)2–3 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 present, all rays storied, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied, fibres storied. Number of ray tiers per axial millimetre 4, or 5.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals not observed. 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).