IAWA Bulletin n.s., Vol. 3 (1), 1982 45

THE WOOD STRUCTURE OF COURATARI AUBL. AND COUROUPlTA AUBL. ()

by

H.G. Richter Institut fUr Holzbiologie und Holzschutz, Bundesforschungsanstalt fUr Forst- und Holzwirtschaft, Leuschnerstrasse 91, 2050 Hamburg 80, Federal Republic of Germany

Summary Woods of the genera Couratari Aubl. and belong to the family of Lecythidaceac invol­ Couroupita Aubl. (Lecythidaceae) correspond ving two of its exclusively neotropical genera: in appearance and are nearly indistinguishable Couratari Aubl. and Couroupita Aubl. macroscopically. However, microstructural fea­ Existing information on secondary xylem tures such as parenchyma distribution as well differentiation of Couratari and Couroupita is as type and configuration of inorganic contents rather scanty and must be inferred from gener­ (silica, Ca-oxalate crystals) can be employed al family (Diehl, 1935) or individual species de­ for safely separating the two genera wood ana­ scriptions (e.g. Dechamps, 1979; Richter, 1969 tomically. The significance of these features is and others); no direct comparison referring to tested in terms of diagnostic value and their wood structural data of the two genera is avail­ taxonomic implications discussed through pro­ able. Ter Welle (1980, personal communica­ jection into the neotropical subfamily Lecythi­ tion) has indicated that the only means of dis­ doideae and further into Old World Lecythida­ tinguishing Couratari from Couroupita wood ceae. As a result a subdivision of Lecythidoi­ anatomically is the presence of silica in the for­ deae into two groups is suggested: one com­ mer and lack, respectively, in the latter. The prising Couratari and the structurally similar following wood structural analysis is geared to­ genera Allantoma, Bertholletia, Corytophora, wards establishing reliable criteria for generic Eschweilera and Lecythis sharing a character differentiation. Subsequently the possible combination unique in Lecythidaceae; the taxonomic implications of such distinguishing other comprising Couroupita, Grias and Gusta­ features are discussed. via with certain affinities towards Old World Macroscopically the woods of both genera Planchonioideae. , although structur­ are indistinguishable for all practical purposes; ally close to Couratari and allied genera, is ac­ hence it is not surprising to find them lumped corded an intermediate position. The timbers together in one group of commercial timbers. of Couratari and Couroupita lend themselves Beside the similar appearance of the woods, for a sImilar range of end use categories such as both genera have a number of other character­ utility plywood, interior construction, furni­ istics in common: ture parts etc. They may, for all practical pur­ 1. Their distribution is exclusively neotropical poses, be combined in one group of commer­ and restricted to the northern part of South cial timbers to be used eventually as SUbstitutes America, encompassing the Amazone Basin, for such well known medium density woods as the , and radiating north into Cen­ Ramin, Virola and others. tral America, south to central and eastern Brazil. The centre of distribution of Coura­ In troduction tari lies in the region, that of Cou­ During the past years occasional shipments roup ita further southwest in central Amazo­ of a light coloured medium density wood from nia. appeared on the German mar­ 2. The of both genera are among the larg­ ket. Invariably the wood was imported on a est and best formed in the American tropical trial basis as veneer, furniture parts, broom forest reaching up to 35 metres in height and sticks etc. It was introduced mostly from Brazil, 0.9 to 1.2 metres at d.b.h., with straight and the Guyanas under such misleading boles up to 20 metres; they are relatively fantasy names as 'Brazilian cherry' or 'Corina', scarce and widely scattered. the latter a US-trade name normally applied to 3. Both genera supply a medium density wood the west African wood 'Limb a' of Terminalia (0.40-0.60 g/cm3 for Couroupita, 0.50- superba, Combretaceae. Repeated microscopic 0.72 g/cm3 for Couratari) which is reported analyses revealed that all investigated samples to be firm, tough and strong (Record & Hess, 46 IAWA Bulletin n.s., Vol. 3 (1),1982

Table I. - Couratari Aubl.: wood specimens examined (species identification according to Mori & Prance, unpub!.; Prance, pers. comm.)

RBHw Species Collector number Origin Original xylarium number number and identification (if deviating)

6269 C. exigua Miers* Trinidad (= Cariniana pyriformis) 750 C. guianensis Aubl. Gerhard 46 Surinam 6570 ibid. (Herb. Utrecht) Surinam Uw 2009, C. puIchra Sandw. 13632 ibid. C. puIchra Sandw. 16334 ibid. Stahel49 Surinam Uw49 16833 ibid. Stahel58 Surinam Uw 58, C. puIchra Sandw. 16836 ibid. Surinam BBSw 7, C. puIchra Sandw. 16838 ibid. MERwD 299, C. puIchra Sandw. 17104 ibid. Brazil CTFw5660= SJRw45538, C. puIchra Sandw. 17105 ibid. Gossin 42 Fr. Guyana CTFw 20674 17106 ibid. Breteler 5007 Venezuela CTFw 17146, C. puIchra Sandw. 17124 ibid. De Bruyn 1533 Venezuela Uw 14491, C. panamensis Standley 17125 ibid. P.H. Allen s.n. Costa Rica Uw 10374 = USw 30147, C. panamensis Standley ibid.** Fr. Guyana CTFw 16636, C. puIchra Sandw. ibid.** Fr. Guyana CTFw 16645, C. puIchra Sandw. 17110 C. macrosperma A.C.Smith Krukoff 6451 Brazil CTFw 18231 10164 C. multiflora (J .E.Smith) (Herb. Utrecht) Surinam Uw 1652, Eyma C. fagifolia (Miq.) Eyma 10908 ibid. 2405 Brazil C. coriacea Mart. ex Berg 16832 ibid. Stahel44 Surinam Uw44 16837 ibid. Venezuela MERwPG-24 16839 ibid. Surinam BBSw,6, C. fagifolia (Miq.) Eyma 17111 ibid. Stahel58a Surinam Uw 58a = CTFw 4438 ibid. ** Fr. Guyana CTFw 16780, C. fagifolia (Miq.) Eyma ibid.** Bafog 84 M Fr. Guyana CTFw 7726, C. fagifolia (Miq.) Eyma 17108 C. oblongifolia Ducke & Brazil CTFw 5662 = SJRw 45540 Knuth 16835 C. stellata A.C.Smith Stahel 137a Surinam Uw 137a 16840 ibid. Surinam BBSw b-19 16841 Couratari sp. Splitgerber 727 Surinam 3641 cf. Couratari Fr. Guyana

* Original identification erroneous, transferred to Cariniana pyriformis. **Only slides available for microscopic examination.