Wood Structure of Semecarpus kathalekanensis Dasappa et Swaminath (Anacardiaceae) : a New Species from Southern India

Wood structure of Semecarpus kathalekanensis Dasappa & Swaminath, a new species identified recently from Southern India, is described in detail. Wood is greyish yellow, moderately hard, light in weight, coarse textured and straight and silver grained. It is a diffuse porous wood with indistinct growth rings. Vessels are large with simple perforation and large intervessel pitting. Parenchyma is paratracheal with no crystals and fibres are thin walled and rarely septate. Rays are 1-3 seriate and heterocellular. The wood structure resembles with Semecarpus anacardium and Semecarpus travancorica but for the rare occurrence of septate fibres.