Category :    Light Hardwoods

Species

General Characteristics

Sapwood and liearlwood not differen¬tiated by colour; wood cream-white when freshly cut, weathering to a pale straw colour, planed surface lustrous or very lustrous; without any figure; texturemodcratcly fine and even; grain almost straight; slit-like radial passages (latex traces), which may be seen on tangential surface as lens-shaped bodies characteristic; soft to cut across grain; air dry density ranging from 415 to 495 kg/ m1 (26 to 31 lb/ft'); not durable and very susceptible to blue stain fungi attack; den¬sity averaging 464 kg/m' (29 lb/ft3).

Structure

Growth rings absent but concentric layers simulating growth rings often visible on cross-sect ions produced by periodic layers without wood parenchyma. Vessels with simple perforation; medium-sized; moderately few; a few solitary, the rest in radial multiples of 2 to 4 and clusters; tyloses and deposits absent. Wood parenchyma exclusively apotrachcal, as narrow short lines between the rays which fomi a sort of scalari form pattern which is visible only on a very cleanly cut surface. Rays medium-sized and clearly visible to the naked eye; not prominent on a radial surface. Intercellular canals Latex canals simulating small horizontal canals occur in the rays; these may be just visible with a hand lens on a tangential surface as pin-points in the rays. Latex traces Large radial passages which appear lens-shaped on tangential surface (upto 12 mm high) occur in whorls. This, however, may be observed only in large boards.

Other Features

Burning splinter test: Splinter bums to ash. Froth test ; Negative.

Uses