Sterculia apetala (Jacq.) Karst. (Mahot blanc, cacao de monte)
Nomenclature etc. STERCULIACEAE. Trade and local names: chicha, camoruco.
Description based on: 8 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: Mexico and Central America and tropical South America.
General. Heartwood basically brown red (mostly light brown). Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.34–0.53 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 128–267 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 2–4. Average vessel element length 248–493 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 8 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Tyloses in vessels present.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 1833–2405 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma apotracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand (1–)4.
Rays. Rays 2 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, 6–15 cells wide. Height of large rays commonly over 1000 µm. 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. Sheath cells present (with crystals).
Storied structures. Storied structure present, rays not storied, axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals present, traumatic origin, axial type.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square (in sheath cells). Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent. Water extract basically yellow or shade of yellow. Ethanol extract not fluorescent. Ethanol extract basically colourless to brown or shade of brown.
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).