38 The Timber i of British Guiana. 



Tangential Section as the Radial, but, if anything, more bril- 

 liant, and the Rays need the lens, being minute and about J m/m. 

 high. 



Type Specimens. Authenticated by Bell, No. 85/2741; also 

 specimens of Sicopera from commercial sources, Nos. 0304, 2635, 

 2631, 0314. 



86. HUMIRIA BALSAMIFERA. JAUME. 



Nat. Ord. } HUMIRIACE^E. 

 Synonym, H. AMPLEXICATJLIS. MART. HUMIRIA = HUMIRIUM. 



MYRODENDRON AMPLEXICAULE. WILLD. 



The following alternative names probably apply to this wood, 

 as well as to H. flcxribunda : " Couramira, Nieri, Turanira 

 in Brazil" (99); " Towaronero " (23); "Bastard Bully, Umiri " 

 (21), in the Amazonas Region and N. Province, Brazil; " Bois 

 rouge, in Fr. Guiana" (5); " Tourameira " (7); " Tauronira." 

 Not the " Couramari " described by Martin-Lavigne (20c), p. 125. 

 Salient Features. A hard, heavy, dark, reddish-brown wood, 

 fine-grained and compact. 



Physical Characters. Weight (so far recorded), 48J-74J Ibs. 

 per cubic ft. Hardness, Grade 2, extremely hard. Smell or 

 taste 0. Heartwood well denned from the Sap wood; darkens 

 sopiewhat on exposure to the air; surface lustrous. Sap wood 

 br ownish- white ; width about 1 inch. 



Bark. About J in. thick, brown, lightly fissured ; scaling 

 without, fibrous (bristly) within. Surface of log beneath bark, 

 smooth or striated. 



Uses, Qualities, etc. " House-frames, wheel-spokes con- 

 sidered superior to Greenheart. Plentiful in British Guiana, and 

 may be met with in logs 90 ft. long by 20 ins. square, free of 

 Sap " (22). Rather hard to saw. Fissile, takes nails badly; planes 

 and turns moderately hard and badly; polishes easily but in- 

 differently. Better qualities than the sample, work very well. 

 Useful as a substitute for Bullet-wood. A generally useful wood 

 for purposes where strength and hardness are required. Some- 

 times confused with Balata, No. 12, on account of the similarity 

 in colour and local names ; also with Touri, Houmiri (H. balsami- 

 fera, J. St. H.) and Umara or Umary. 



Authorities. 2. Bell, p. 10. 4a. Boulger. 5. Cat. Col., Fr., 

 p. 27. 7. DaGama. 12. Hawtayne, p. 385. 17. Laslett, p. 451. 

 22. McTurk, p. 4. 21. Miers. 27. Stone, p. 46 (PI. IV., fig. 28). 



ANATOMICAL CHARACTERS. 



Transverse Section. Much darker in shade than the other 

 sections. 



Pores. Conspicuous in the solid wood in places on account 

 of their white colour; not much variation except within the 

 groups; uniformly scattered; few; mostly single, but some pairs; 

 increasing in size as the tree ages. 



