WIT-HOUT 



Soft-tissue. Occasional cells in the neighbourhood of the 

 pore-groups. 



Pith. Round or lobed : o - 5-2*o mm. diameter : greenish or 

 brownish, and as hard as the wood. 



Radial Section. The pores are extremely fine, colourless lines 

 running in numbers side by side : the rays are colourless, incon- 

 spicuous flakes : there is no trace of the rings : the pith shows 

 as a broad brownish strip. 



Tangential Section. As the Radial, but there are rarely more 

 than two pores exposed side by side : the rays are minute, 

 spindle-shaped, rather darker lines readily visible with lens or 

 even to good eyesight, in certain lights. 



Type specimens from commercial sources and from trees 

 known before felling. 



No. 38. WIT-HOUT. Ilex capensis. Harv. 



Natural Order. Ilicinese. 



Source of Supply. South Africa, Natal. 



Alternative Names. Whitewood. The Dutch name is also 

 applied to a species of Niehbuhria. 



Physical Characters. Recorded dry-weight 38 lb. per cu. ft. 

 Hardness Grade 7, compare English Beech. Smell or taste 

 none. Burns well with a faint and pleasant aroma, embers glow 

 dully in still air. Solution faint brown, no ppt. with potash. 



Grain. Fine. Surface dull and smooth. 



Bark. ? 



Uses, etc. Of doubtful value except for firewood, although it 

 works very easily. It warps excessively and splits badly during 

 seasoning. 



Colour. Milk-white : a sap-wood tree. 



Anatomical Characters. As those of Ilex aquifolium, with 

 the following differences : — 



Pores. Size 3-4 : the radial rows usually short and not 

 exceeding 6 pores in close contact : thinly scattered, 35-50 

 per sq. mm. 



Rays. Size 2-3 : "middles" 1-3, or "middles and ends" 

 together 7-9 per mm. : brownish. In radial section, distinct 

 or even prominent : rather darker than the ground-tissue : in 

 tangential section rather broad : readily visible spindle-shaped 

 lines. 



Rings. Vague : boundary an extremely indistinct line of 

 contrast in the density of the spring and autumn zones. 



Type specimen authenticated by the Forest Officer to the 

 Government of Natal. 



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