Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Payena acuminata (Blume) Pierre, Payena spp. (Nyatoh)

Nomenclature etc. SAPOTACEAE. Einschließlich Payena leerii, P. lucida, P. lanceolata, P. maingayi, P. obscura. Trade and local names: nyatoh (leichtere Arten lighter weight species heavy species.

Tree. Geographic distribution: Indomalesia.

General. If at all distinct, demarcated by lesser number of parenchyma bands. Heartwood basically brown red. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.58–1.07 g/cm³. Density quite variable, timbers therefore attributed to different trade groups, i.e. Nyatoh and Bitis.

Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in diagonal and/or radial pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 100–190 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² (4–)6–14(–25). Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 5–7 µm. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, rounded or angular or horizontal to vertical, of two distinct sizes or types in the same ray cell, predominantly restricted to marginal rows. Tyloses in vessels present, thinwalled. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (reddish brown).

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness, or very thick-walled. Average fibre length 1200–1800 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered or distinctly bordered.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands reticulate, fine, up to three cells wide, 4–8 per radial mm. Parenchyma bands mostly wavy and frequently discontinuous. Axial parenchyma apotracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse, or diffuse-in-aggregates. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 6–9.

Rays. Rays 12–15 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 2–4, or more than 4.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals not observed. Silica present, as grains, in rays 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