Forestry 280Features of Woods 57-74

#57: Yellow Birch Betula alleghaniensis

Avg. SG: 0.62 Heartwood Color: Light to

dark brown or reddish brown Pore Distribution: Diffuse-

porous Pores: Small to medium,

solitary or in radial multiples of 2 to several; with lens, pore diameters clearly greater than ray width; some pores appear to be filled with whitish substance

#58: Paper Birch Betula papyrifera

Like yellow birch, except that heartwood is lighter and less yellow in color

Don’t separate Yellow from Paper birch (#57 and 58)

#59: Red Alder Alnus rubra

Avg. SG: 0.41 Heartwood Color: Pale tan

when freshly cut darkening w/age to light reddish brown

Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous

Pores: Small, solitary and in mostly radial multiples

Rays: Large aggregate rays widely scattered but easily seen w/o lens

#60: American Beech Fagus grandifolia

Avg. SG: 0.64 Heartwood Color: Creamy white

w/reddish tinge to medium reddish brown

Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous; growth rings distinct

Pores: Small, solitary and in irregular multiples and clusters; numerous and evenly distributed throughout most of the ring; narrow but distinct latewood in each ring having fewer, smaller pores

Rays: Largest rays conspicuous on all surfaces; darker ray fleck against lighter background on radial surfaces

#61: Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora

Diffuse porous; pores small and evenly distributed throughout growth ring

Heartwood color variable from yellowto greenish black

Marginal parenchyma create whitish lines at growth ring boundaries

#62: Yellow Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera

Avg. SG: 0.42 Heartwood Color: Green, or

yellow to tan w/greenish cast Sapwood Color: Creamy white Pore Distribution: Diffuse-

porous; growth rings delineated by distinct light cream or yellowish line of marginal parenchyma

Pores: Small, solitary, but mostly in radial or irregular multiples and small clusters

Rays: Distinct on cross section w/lens; produce conspicuous fine light ray fleck on radial surface

#63: California laurel Umbellularia californica

Wood heavy, hard “Relatively few pores” Pores encircled by

vasicentric parenchyma gives appearance of a whitish sheath around pores and pore multiples

Heartwood may have a “spicy” or “wintergreen” odor

#64: Sweetgum or Redgum Liquidambar styraciflua

Avg. SG: 0.52 Heartwood Color: Grey or

reddish brown, sometimes w/variegated pigment

Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous

Pores: Very small, numerous, solitary and in multiples and small clusters, often in intermittent radial chains

Rays: Very fine, not distinct even w/hand lens

DON’T SEPARATE from #71, Black Gum/Tupelo

# 65: Sycamore Platanus occidentalis

Avg. SG: 0.49 Heartwood Color: Light to dark

brown, usually w/reddish cast Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous;

growth rings distinct d/t unusual lighter color of latewood

Pores: Small, solitary and in irregular multiples and clusters, numerous and evenly distributed throughout most of the growth ring

Rays: Easily visible w/o lens on all surfaces, appearing uniform in size and evenly spaced on transverse and tangential surfaces, producing conspicuous dark ray fleck on radial surfaces

#66: Holly Ilex opaca

Wood hard and heavy Very light colored

heartwood, “ivory white”

Narrow and broad rays Pores arranged in

long radial strings

#67: Sugar Maple Acer saccharum (hard maple)

Avg. SG: 0.63 Heartwood Color: Creamy white to

light reddish brown Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous;

growth rings distinct due to darker brown narrow latewood line

Pores: Small, with largest approximately equal to maximum ray width in cross section; solitary or in radial multiples; very evenly distributed

Rays: Visible to eye on tangential surface as very fine, even-sized, evenly distributed lines; on radial surfaces, ray fleck usually conspicuous

DON’T SEPARATE from soft maple (#68)

#68: Red Maple Acer rubrum (Soft maple)

Heartwood Color: Creamy white to light reddish brown, commonly with grayish cast or streaks

Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous

Pores: Small, solitary and in radial multiples, very evenly distributed; largest as large or slightly larger than widest rays on cross section

Rays: May be visible on tangential surface as very fine, even-sized and evenly spaced lines; on radial surfaces, ray fleck usually conspicuous

DON’T SEPARATE from hard maple, #67

#69: Buckeye Aesculus octandra, A. glabra

Heartwood creamy white to yellowish white, often with darker streaks

Fine, closely-spaced rays Marginal parenchyma form

whitish lines at growth ring boundaries

Wood light and soft Look for RIPPLE MARKS

on tangential surface

#70: Basswood Tilia americana

Heartwood Color: Creamy white to pale brown

Wood is relatively easy to cut & carve

Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous; growth rings indistinct or faintly delineated by marginal parenchyma, sometimes w/blurry whitish spots along growth ring

Pores: Small, mostly in irregular multiples and clusters

Rays: Distinct but not conspicuous on transverse surface with lens; look for ray fleck on radial surfaces

#71: Black Tupelo Nyssa sylvatica

Avg. SG: 0.50 Heartwood Color: Medium

grey or grey with green or brown cast

Pore Distribution: Diffuse-porous

Pores: Very small, numerous, solitary and in multiples and small clusters

Rays: Barely visible even with hand lens; closely spaced, appearing to make up half of the transverse surface

DON’T SEPARATE from #64 (Sweetgum)

#72: Dogwood Cornus florida

Avg. SG: 0.73 Heartwood Color: Dark brown Sapwood Color: Creamy w/flesh

or pinkish cast Pore Distribution: Diffuse-

porous Pores: Very small, mostly

solitary with some radial multiples

Rays: Approximately as wide or wider than largest pores

#73: Honduras mahogany Swietenia macrophylla (or Tropical American mahogany)

Heartwood reddish brown

Pores visible to eye, rather circular in cross-section, solitary and in multiples

Ripple marks often observed on tangential-longitudinal surfaces

#74: Lauan Shorea spp. (or Philippine mahogany)

Avg. SG: 0.46 Heartwood: Pale grayish or

yellowish brown w/pinkish cast and silvery sheen

Growth Rings: Not distinct Pores: Medium-large to very

large, distinct w/o lens, solitary and in radial groups of 2-3

Gum Ducts: In long tangential lines, embedded in bands of parenchyma; free of contents

Parenchyma: Vasicentric and aliform with short wings

Rays: Barely visible without lens; forms distinctive ray fleck on radial-longitudinal surfaces

Others

African Mahogany Khaya spp.

Avg. SG: 0.63 Heartwood: Pale rosy red to dark

reddish brown, often purplish cast Grain: Typically interlocked producing

even striped figure Growth Rings: Usually indistinct, but

sometimes distinct d/t increased fiber density in outer latewood

Pores: Medium to med. large, visible w/o lens, evenly distributed solitary and in radial groups of 2-8

Gum: Some pores w/red gum Parenchyma: Usually not distinct w/o

lens; terminal parenchyma occasionally present, poorly defined

Rays: Distinct on cross section Ray Fleck: On radial surfaces, ray fleck

darker than background

Teak Tectona grandis

Avg. SG: 0.57 Heartwood: Dark golden yellow

turning dark brown or nearly black Grain: Straight Odor: Characteristic spicy odor Growth Rings: Distinct; wood

usually ring-porous Pores: Earlywood pores very large,

solitary and in radial groups of 2-3; latewood pores smaller, not numerous, evenly distributed; vessels w/tyloses or with yellowish or whitish deposits

Parenchyma: Terminal & Vasicentric

Rays: Distinct w/o lens

Acknowledgement Photomacrographs by Zach Kriess Supplemental photomacrographs (those with

white text showing scientific name) courtesy of the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory