Atalaya

Voucher:  Atalaya hemiglauca (F.Muell.)F.Muell. ex Benth. JAB127    

Family:  Sapindaceae  Common name(s):  Whitewood

Habit:  Tree to 6 m high.  Distribution:  Occurs in all mainland states except Victoria.

General features: Density 900-1100 kg/m3 .   Pale wood with heartwood indistinct from sapwood.

Microscopic features:

Vessels  Tangential vessel diameter: range 27-85 µm; mean 54 µm; SD 14 µm; average maximum 57-72 µm; n =  49 vessels.  Vessels per square millimetre: range 18-30 vessels per mm2;  n =  3 sampled areas.  Vessels in radial multiples usually of 2-3.  Perforation plates simple with prominent rim.   

Axial parenchyma  Axial parenchyma paratracheal and confluent to banded.   Marginal bands present.  

Rays Rays 1-3 cells wide with uniseriate rays present (n = 90 rays).  Rays of uniform width and not wider than vessels.  Rays 12-17 per tangential mm (n =   3 sampled areas).  Ray height: range 57-242 µm; mean 126 µm; SD 46 µm; n =   40 rays.   Rays homocellular.  

Helical thickenings  Absent.

Physical and chemical tests:  Chrome azurol-s test negative.   Heartwood fluorescence absent.  Froth test weakly positive.   Ethanol extract fluorescence absent.  Ethanol extract colourless.  Water extract colourless.  Water extract fluorescence absent.

Uses:  

Aboriginal  Ceremonial ornaments (Latz 1995; Kamminga 2002)

Notes:  Some SEM images are wrongly labelled JAB132 on their databar when they are in fact of JAB127 Atalaya hemiglauca .