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Nomenclature etc. MELIACEAE. Syn.: Entandrophragma ferrugineum A. Chev. Trade and local names: boubousson rouge, vroudi (CI); heavy sapele, omu (GB, NG); atom-assié, klatié (CM); lifaki (CD); mpempe (CG); assoré, ikwapobo (NG); kossipo (NL); lifuko (AO); penkwa (GH). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa.
General. Heartwood basically brown, red, purple. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Density 0.55–0.58–0.75 g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 160–210–270 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 2–5. Average vessel element length 500–600 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 2–3 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Tyloses absent. Other deposits present (dark reddish brown).
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 1085–1860–2600 µm. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres septate and non-septate, or non-septate; scattered near vessels and rays. Fibre lumina frequently containing reddish brown compounds.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Bands marginal (or seemingly marginal) and not marginal (or seemingly marginal). Axial parenchyma bands much wider than rays. Bands coarse. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma vasicentric, confluent, and unilateral. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 4–8(–13).
Rays. Rays 5–6 per tangential mm, multiseriate, 3–6 cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 µm. Rays composed of two or more cell types (heterocellular). Heterocellular rays with square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows, mostly 1 marginal row of upright or square cells.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals not observed. Silica present, as grains; in rays cells and in axial parenchyma.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent; colour of water extract colourless to brown. Ethanol extract not fluorescent. Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Froth test positive. Splinter burns to partial ash. Ash white to grey.
Illustrations. • Macroscopic images. transverse (ca. 10x). radial (natural size). • Transverse section. • Tangential section. • Radial section. silica grains in ray cells.
The interactive key allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting specified attributes, summaries of attributes within groups of taxa, and geographical distribution.
Cite this publication as: ‘Richter, H.G., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2000 onwards. Commercial timbers: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. In English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Version: 9th April 2019. delta-intkey.com’.
