Selected anatomical, extractive and physical wood properties of Cylicodiscus gabunensis (Harm): A tropical timber species.

摘要

This study sought to define certain anatomical, physical and chemical properties of Cylicodiscus gabunensis (Harm) wood. Five disks cut 1.5m apart from one another from the merchantable bole of a 65–70-year old and a board 60cm long and 6cm thick and covering the entire width of the heartwood were further reduced in size and analyzed.; The study focussed on five aspects of this wood species. (1) The vertical distribution of soluble extractives in the stem wood was investigated. (2) The distribution of soluble extractives in the various tissues in the heartwood was investigated. (3) The occurrence of crystals in the wood and their distribution in the tissues were investigated. (4) A quantitative evaluation of extractives removed from heartwood sawdust with water, diethyl ether and methanol at room temperature was carried out. (5) The specific gravity of the wood was evaluated using the maximum moisture content method in the course which a method for accurately determining the maximum moisture content for small wood samples and a system for verifying their complete saturation with water were also developed.; In examining the vertical distribution of soluble extractives in the stem, a disk removed at 0.5m above ground was found to be 28 percent higher in extractive content than the one removed at 6.5m; the values for the three intervening disks fell in between the two.; Three types of soluble extractives were found in the vessels and parenchyma cells. A heavy accumulation of the extractives was found in the vessels and the contact longitudinal parenchyma cells. The vessels appeared to be completely plugged with extractives. All three extractive types were found in the ray parenchyma cell lumens but in lower concentrations.; Crystals were found exclusively in bands of axial parenchyma cells without direct contact with vessels. None of the bands of crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells investigated had a cell that was devoid of a crystal. The extractives removed with the three solvents were similar in appearance to those found in the tissues.