Pometia pinnata J.R. Forster & J.G. Forster (Kasai, taun)
Nomenclature etc. SAPINDACEAE. Einschließlich Pometia ridleyi King. Trade and local names: Kasai, matoa, megan, taun (general); leungsir, tawan, ihi mendek (RI); sibu (MAL-Sar); malugai (RP); paga-nyet-su ava (BUR); chieng dong, kwaang (LAO); sai, daengnam (T);.
Tree. Geographic distribution: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, or Indomalesia.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct, growth ring limits demarcated by marginal parenchyma. Heartwood basically brown red, rarely with streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.63–0.7 g/cm³ (PNG). Density very variable (0.39–0.86) as a function of species and origin.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 70–310(–360) µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 1–7. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 3–4 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings present (rare and inconspicuous). Tyloses in vessels absent. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (both light coloured and dark brown).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 750–1450 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres exclusively septate, or septate and non-septate. Septate fibres evenly distributed.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), fine, up to three cells wide. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, or aliform. Aliform parenchyma lozenge. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 3–8.
Rays. Rays 4–12 per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate. Rays composed of two or more cell types. Heterocellular rays procumbent, square and upright cells mixed throughout the ray. Some specimens with exclusively uniseriate rays, others also featuring biseriate rays.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square or procumbent. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one, or more than 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).