| | Commercial timbers |
Nomenclature etc. BIGNONIACEAE. Syn.: Tabebuia donnell-smithii Rose, Cybistax donnell-smithii (Rose) Miranda. Trade and local names: palo blanco (MX); white mahogany, gold tree (US, trade). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Description based on 6 specimens. Tree. Geographic distribution: Mexico and Central America.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct (demarcated by very narrow marginal parenchyma bands). Heartwood basically yellow, white or grey. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Density 0.42–0.48–0.54 g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood semi ring porous or diffuse porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Average tangential vessel diameter 75- 125–150 µm (-190). Average number of vessels/mm² 4- 6–13 (-17). Average vessel element length 200–440 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 4–6 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses present (few), thinwalled.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres very thin-walled to of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 619- 600–1000 µm (-1190). Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Bands marginal (or seemingly marginal). Bands fine. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 2–4(–6).
Rays. Rays multiseriate, (2–)3–4 cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 µm. Rays composed of a single cell type (homocellular); homocellular ray cells procumbent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Secretory structures. Intercellular canals absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals not observed. Silica not observed.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract not fluorescent; colour of water extract colourless to brown. Ethanol extract fluorescent (light blue). Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Froth test positive. Splinter burns to partial ash (burns to a thin cohesive thread). Ash grey-black.
Illustrations. • Macroscopic images. transverse (ca. 10x). radial (natural size). • Transverse section. • Transverse section enlarged. • Tangential section. • Radial section.
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’.
