Cedrela odorata
West Indian Zedrele ( Cedrela odorata ), young plants
The West Indian Zedrele ( Cedrela odorata ), also botanically confusing ( Zedrelen are deciduous trees, cedar trees are conifers) West Indian cedar, Spanish cedar or named after her condensed Spanish name Cedro, a flowering plant in the family of mahogany plants is ( Meliaceae ). This species grows from Mexico to the Caribbean and Central America to the tropical South America.
Description
Cedrela odorata grows as a deciduous tree, reaching heights of growth of about 10 meters. The branches have a bare bark with sparsely distributed lenticels. The alternate and spirally arranged on the branches of deciduous leaves are pinnate at least 30 cm long and twisted. The more or less against constantly arranged on the Blattrhachis 17 or 19 leaflets have a 1 to 1.5 cm long stem and one with a length of 8 to 12 cm and a width of 3.5 to 4 cm ovoid, oblong or elliptic leaf blade with smooth or serrated edges rounded or beveled base and pointed top of that, on both sides is skinned bald and have ten to twelve lateral nerves on each side of the raised central nerve.
The barren, sparsely branched, schirmtraubigen inflorescences are shorter than the leaves. The hermaphrodite, five petals have a double perianth and are relatively small and oblong to ellipsoidal. The five sepals are fused and sparsely hairy fluffy. The five free, white petals are oblong to elliptical, mucronate and on both sides hairy fluffy with a length of about 8 mm. The discus is bald. It is a circle with five free stamens present, which are inserted on top of the discus. Five carpels are fused into a bald, fünfkammerigen ovary. There are twelve ovules in each ovary chamber. The stylus is bald.
The bald capsule fruit is oblong to ellipsoid with a length of 4 cm and has bright lenticels.
System
The first publication of Cedrela odorata was in 1759 by Linnaeus in Systema Naturae 10th edition, 2, p 940 as lectotype 1960 P. Browne was: Civil & Nat. Hist. Jamaica, 1756, Plate 10, Figure 1 by C.E. Smith set in Fieldiana, Bot, 29 ( 5), p 314. Cedrela odorata L. are synonyms for: Cedrela adenophylla Mart, Cedrela brachystachya ( C.DC. ) C.DC., Cedrela brownii Loefl. . ex Kuntze, Cedrela caldasana C.DC., Cedrela ciliolata SFBlake, Cedrela cubensis bites, Cedrela dugesii S.Watson, Cedrela glaziovii C.DC., Cedrela guianensis A.Juss. , Cedrela hassleri ( C.DC. ) C.DC. , Cedrela huberi Ducke, Cedrela imparipinnata C.DC., Cedrela longipes SFBlake, Cedrela longipetiolulata Harms, Cedrela mexicana M.Roem. , Cedrela mexicana var puberula C. DC., Cedrela mourae C.DC., Cedrela C. occidentalis DC. & Rose, Cedrela odorata var xerogeiton Rizzini & Heringer, Cedrela palustris Handro, Cedrela paraguariensis Mart. , Cedrela paraguariensis var brachystachya C.DC., Cedrela paraguariensis var hassleri C.DC., Cedrela paraguariensis var multijuga C.DC., rotunda Cedrela SFBlake, Cedrela sintenisii C.DC., Cedrela velloziana M.Roem. , Cedrela whitfordii SFBlake, Cedrela yucatana SFBlake, Surenus brownii Kuntze, Surenus glaziovii ( C.DC. ) Kuntze, Surenus guianensis ( A.Juss. ) Kuntze, Surenus mexicana ( M.Roem. ) Kuntze, Surenus velloziana ( M.Roem. ) Kuntze.
Use
The wood of the West Indian Zedrele is often used as a substitute for mahogany because of the good machinability. Moreover, the Spanish cedar an almost indispensable building material for cigar humidors as well as concert guitar necks. The subtle smell of the wood harmonizes agreeably with the cigar and simultaneously keeps pests away from her.
Threats and conservation
The West Indian Zedrele is conducted on the basis of the ongoing exploitation of the World Conservation Union IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as vulnerable ( " Vulnerable ").
The species is listed in Appendix 3 of the Washington Convention ( CITES ), with their herds in Colombia, Guatemala and Peru. Thus, the trade with tribes, sawn wood and veneer sheets are subject of this kind certain conditions.
Swell
- Hua Peng & David J. Mabberley: Cedrela in the Flora of China, Volume 11, p 115: Cedrela odorata - Online.
- Barbara B. Cintron: Datasheet: Cedro Hembra, Spanish - Cedar at na.fs.fed.us (English with a long list of secondary literature )