Gambeya beguei (Aubr. & Pell.) Aubr. & Pell., Donella spp. (Aningré blanc)
Nomenclature etc. SAPOTACEAE. Gambeya beguei (Aubrev. & Pellegr.) Aubrev & Pellegr.- Syn.: Chrysophyllum beguei Aubrev. & Pellegr.; Donella pruniformis Pierre. Trade and local names: aningré blanc, Longhi blanc (D, Fr); aninguéri, anigré, agnégré (F); aningeria (GB); kali (D); grogoli, koandio, osam (CI); mukali (ANG); mukalla (RPC); inon, agwa (WAN); mukangu (EAK); osan (EAU).
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa (West and East Africa).
General. Heartwood basically white or grey to yellow. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.6 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows and radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 75–125–175 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 4–12. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 6–10 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders and with reduced borders or apparently simple (bordered vessel-ray pits primarily in procumbent cells, larger and simple vessel-ray pits restricted to marginal cells), similar to intervessel pits, horizontal to vertical, of uniform size or type and of two distinct sizes or types in the same ray cell, of the same type in adjacent elements and unilaterally compound and coarse. Tyloses in vessels absent.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands marginal (or seemingly marginal), reticulate, fine, up to three cells wide. Parenchyma bands uniseriate, mixed with diffuse-in-aggregate parenchyma. Axial parenchyma apotracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4–8.
Rays. Rays 8–14 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, (1–)2–4 cells wide. Rays with multiseriate portions as wide as uniseriate portions present. 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 2–4 and more than 4.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, in form of crystal sand, located in ray cells and axial parenchyma cells (rarely). Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square. Silica present, as grains or in aggregates, in rays cells (marginal cells only). SiO2 particles and aggregates, respectively, very large and often filling the entire cell lumen.
Physical and chemical tests. Froth test positive.
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).