# ID help



## barry richardson (Dec 15, 2021)

This was a found chunk of wood, so far I'm stumped by it. The chunk was about 10" diameter. I found one simple leaf with it on a sucker, obcordate shaped, about 2" wide and long. Lost track of it so no pictures of that. Took the enlargements through a 20x loupe, so about a 5/8" circle there. very likely a yard tree. grew in the desert so it wouldn't be from the northern zones... even if I could get it narrowed down to a few species, it would be helpful.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Gonzalodqa (Dec 15, 2021)

Could it be desert ironwood?

Reactions: Like 1


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## barry richardson (Dec 15, 2021)

Gonzalodqa said:


> Could it be desert ironwood?


No, I have lots of experience with that, and it smell's bad ha ha, this has no distinctive smell.

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## phinds (Dec 15, 2021)

Hm ... I'm not seeing your images. What I see is


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## barry richardson (Dec 15, 2021)

phinds said:


> Hm ... I'm not seeing your images. What I see is
> View attachment 219426


I see em fine, anyone else have this problem?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Fencemender (Dec 15, 2021)

I can see them fine too


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Dec 15, 2021)

I see them too.


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Dec 15, 2021)

I am seeing them. And it's a shame you can't cause he gots good pics.


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## phinds (Dec 15, 2021)

NOW I see them. Must have been a temporary glitch in my browser.

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## phinds (Dec 15, 2021)

The only domestic genus I can find that has that strong confluent parenchyma is fig (Ficus).

EDIT: I see that "acacia" (a word that represents at least 400 species) is a genus that has characteristics very literally all over the map, but does include at least one specie, paperbark thorn / Acacia sieberiana, that has the confluent parenchyma

some exotics that have it are shown here:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_anatomy/diffuse porous/exotics/_exotics.htm#group5


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## rob3232 (Dec 15, 2021)

End grain knife blocks and pen blanks would be cool!


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## barry richardson (Dec 15, 2021)

phinds said:


> The only domestic genus I can find that has that strong confluent parenchyma is fig (Ficus).
> 
> EDIT: I see that "acacia" (a word that represents at least 400 species) is a genus that has characteristics very literally all over the map, but does include at least one specie, paperbark thorn / Acacia sieberiana, that has the confluent parenchyma
> 
> ...


May or may not be domestic, lot of import yard trees around here, maybe the bark of leaf description of bark will give @Mr. Peet a clue. Additional info; it is very fine grained like a fruit wood, but the leaf doesn't match any fruit trees in my search. It has a bright red cadmium layer....


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 15, 2021)

_Sideroxylon lanuginosum_, Gum bumelia??? Any flatsawn pics yet?

*Edit *Nope, not that... just looked it up. Paul's fig idea fit, I was also wondering about South American Mulberry, _Morus insignia_ (recently moved to a new genus).


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Dec 15, 2021)

Fig has many leaf patterns including


The bark pattern is multiple variety as well including one that looks similar to your bark. I didn't screenshot that one. The lumber can have that dark red/brown color as well. If the end grain pattern matches, I would likely take fig.


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 15, 2021)

Is Lati a landscape tree there? (white wenge) Amphimas genus

or Angelim, Hymenolobium spp, ....


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## barry richardson (Dec 15, 2021)

Mr. Peet said:


> Is Lati a landscape tree there? (white wenge) Amphimas genus
> 
> or Angelim, Hymenolobium spp, ....


Never heard of it here, both of the ones you mentioned have big pores and kinda coarse grain, also not a match. doesnt really show in the pictures, but the sapwood has a light pinkish tint to it. The heart wood is also pink when fresh cut, but turns red quickly (overnight) I will get a face grain shot tomorrow...

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## barry richardson (Dec 15, 2021)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> Fig has many leaf patterns includingView attachment 219427
> The bark pattern is multiple variety as well including one that looks similar to your bark. I didn't screenshot that one. The lumber can have that dark red/brown color as well. If the end grain pattern matches, I would likely take fig.


Could be fig I guess, but the fig I have seen around here does not resemble this wood, this is an obcordate shaped leaf I pulled of the web, very similar to what was attached to this wood, no more than 2" long or wide...


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## barry richardson (Dec 16, 2021)

Okay here is a flat grain pic of the sapwood, I have did more research and one possibility might be Bauhinia variegata AKA Mountain Ebony, Orchid Tree. Cant find any images at all of the wood though...

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## Mr. Peet (Dec 16, 2021)

barry richardson said:


> Okay here is a flat grain pic of the sapwood, I have did more research and one possibility might be Bauhinia variegata AKA Mountain Ebony, Orchid Tree. Cant find any images at all of the wood though...View attachment 219462


Think you might be on it... It does not match _Bauhinia divaricata_ but looks a lot like _Bauhinia blakeana_, 'Hong Kong Orchid Tree'. None of these species are on the Inside Wood website. Sure one of the IWCS members has a sample, just tracking them down will take some time.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barry richardson (Dec 16, 2021)

Thanks Mark!


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 16, 2021)

Kachnar, Camel's Foot Tree (Bauhinia Variegata) - Properties, Benefits, Dosage


Kachnar, Camel's Foot Tree (Bauhinia Variegata) is deciduous tree of small to medium sized height up to 15mt with spreading crown and a short bole.




www.planetayurveda.com





Hardy to USDA Zone 9 (low 20 to 30° F) 

*Anacacho Orchid Tree-Bauhinia lunarioides - Texas native









Bauhinia madagascariensis, Red Butterfly Orchid Tree -


Plant%20profile%20-%20Species:%20Bauhinia%20madagascariensis%2c%20Botanical%20Family:%20Fabaceae%2c%20Plant%20common%20name:%20Red%20Butterfly%20Orchid%20Tree%2c%20Plant%20origin:%20Africa%2c%20Madagascar




toptropicals.com




*
That last link takes you to a list of Orchid Trees species

I still think you might already have it, based on the common names 'Ebony wood' and 'Mountain Ebony'. The Texas native is smaller. Check with Moon Nurseries and a few other local landscape carriers and see if they carry any.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## barry richardson (Dec 17, 2021)

Mr. Peet said:


> Kachnar, Camel's Foot Tree (Bauhinia Variegata) - Properties, Benefits, Dosage
> 
> 
> Kachnar, Camel's Foot Tree (Bauhinia Variegata) is deciduous tree of small to medium sized height up to 15mt with spreading crown and a short bole.
> ...


Yes several nurseries around here sell these trees, good explanation here;








Breaking Down the Bauhinia spp. aka 'Orchid Tree'


The substantial amount of rain we received last week (substantial to us here in the desert anyways) was absolutely what the doctor ordered for all of the trees and plants in our yards after a long,...




blog.moonvalleynurseries.com




If it is an Orchid tree it suggest that is either Hong Kong Orchid or Purple Orchid tree, and these are the ones advertised in the nurseries....

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 17, 2021)

barry richardson said:


> Yes several nurseries around here sell these trees, good explanation here;
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, it looked like my sample of 'Hong Kong'. However, I lack a sample with heartwood.

Here is anther blurb found,

*Bauhinia* *purpurea* is a small to medium-sized deciduous fast-growing shrub or tree with a round, symmetrical, moderate dense crown to 10 m fruit (David Lee, Professor and Chairperson. tall, young branches becoming glabrous or nearly so (glabrescent). In dry Department of Biological Sciences, Florida *forests*, the size is much smaller. The bark is pale grey brown, fairly International Unive)smooth to slightly fissured and scaly. The twigs are slender, light green, slightly hairy, and angled, becoming brownish grey. The heart-wood is brown, hard and durable.

Heartwood brown, and twigs light green with hairs, does that help separate them? The bark descriptions for both are very similar.

However, the _B. variegata_ clearly states inner bark pinkish. If neither of the others have that....


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## barry richardson (Dec 17, 2021)

Didnt have any twigs to study other than a small sucker that had a leaf on it. here is a picture of the other side of the flatsawn board that shows some of the red inner bark... Seems like it is either Hong Kong or Purple Orchid tree, I was leaning toward Purple Orchid Tree since it is described with smaller leaves. Im just gonna call it Orchid Tree, close enough for me, I just wanted to be able to tell folks who might buy something I make from it what kind of wood it is. 






This is a piece I roughed out yesterday, The heart wood is already much darker, will quite possibly end up being brown...

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## Tom Smart (Dec 17, 2021)

Like the shape of the rough out, Barry.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## trc65 (Dec 17, 2021)

Nice looking form and really interesting grain patterns/color.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 18, 2021)

barry richardson said:


> Didnt have any twigs to study other than a small sucker that had a leaf on it. here is a picture of the other side of the flatsawn board that shows some of the red inner bark... Seems like it is either Hong Kong or Purple Orchid tree, I was leaning toward Purple Orchid Tree since it is described with smaller leaves. Im just gonna call it Orchid Tree, close enough for me, I just wanted to be able to tell folks who might buy something I make from it what kind of wood it is.
> View attachment 219515
> View attachment 219516
> This is a piece I roughed out yesterday, The heart wood is already much darker, will quite possibly end up being brown...


Sounds like a plan. So does the Purple Orchid tree also have the reddish pink inner bark? I had not found anything saying so.

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## barry richardson (Dec 18, 2021)

Mr. Peet said:


> Sounds like a plan. So does the Purple Orchid tree also have the reddish pink inner bark? I had not found anything saying so.


I just don't know, haven't found anything about the description of the wood other than what you have given

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