20 The Timbers of British Guiana. 



Uses, Qualities, etc. " Peu compacte " (1); "Matchboxes 

 -and cheap coffins, and, if thoroughly cured, for inside boarding " 

 (2). Saws very easily; takes nails well; planes badly, being 

 -extremely fissile in a radial direction. Even when the surface is 

 not parallel to the Rays, strips of wood rip out, exposing the silver- 

 grain in a most unusual manner. Turns easily but badly; unsuit- 

 able for polishing. Export value, nil. 



Authorities. 2. Bell, p. 4. 3c. Blume, p. 143. 5. Cat., Col., 

 Fr., p. 30. Aiken, MS. with specimen. 



ANATOMICAL CHARACTERS. 



Transverse Section. Not much darker than the other sections. 



Pores. Just visible with the naked eye, rather large; not 

 diminishing towards the close of the season's growth ; little variation 

 except in the groups; single, or sub-divided pairs; evenly dis- 

 tributed; few and widely scattered; contents often black. 



Bays. Visible with the lens, shining, small, uniform, regular, 

 rather less than the width of a Pore apart, lightly avoiding the 

 Pores. 



Rings. Not denned; boundary doubtful. 



Soft Tissue of no definite arrangement. 



Pith. ( ?) 



Radial Section. The Pores are prominent, rather darker 

 grooves. The Rays are similar in appearance to the Pores with 

 the unaided eye. The ground tissue is unusually lustrous. 



Tangential Section as the Radial, but duller, though somewhat 

 frosted; the Rays need the lens, being minute and about 1 m/m. 

 high ; under the microscope they are seen to be filled with drops of 

 dark gum. 



Type Specimens. Authenticated by Bell, No. 19/2675. Aiken 

 ISTo. 3034. 



20. NOT IDENTIFIED. 

 Nat. Ord., LEGUMINOS^:. 



Alternative Names. " Dakama " (2); " Dakama-balli " (12); 

 "Dacama; Bruinhart; Wacapou; Blakka Kabbisi, in Dutch 

 Guiana " (3). Not the " Dacamabally " or " Wacapou " 

 described by Martin-Lavigne (20c), p. 100, under the name of 

 Andira Aubletti. Benth., as is evident from the difference in the 

 t>ark and the grain. 



Salient Features. A hard, heavy, rich red wood of uniform 

 colour. Pores extremely prominent in transverse section, and 

 coarse and open plankwise. 



Physical Characters. Weight (so far recorded), 65J-66J Ibs. 

 per cubic ft. Hardness, Grade 4, hard ; compare Yew, Morabucquia 

 or Purpleheart. Smell when dry 0. Taste flat. Colour of Heart- 

 wood as above, with darker grooves (the open Pores). Darkens 

 considerably on exposure to the air. Ill-defined from the Sap- 

 wood into which it gradually merges. Surface bright; rather cold 

 to the touch. Sapwood light brown; about 1-1 J ins. wide. 



