Artocarpus
Content
Description
Trees, monoecious. Leaves in spirals; stipules fully amplexicaul, free; blade entire or pinnately incised, innately veined. Inflorescences unisexual, in the leaf axils or on the main branches and the trunk, usually with bracts. Staminate inflorescences clavate to subspicate; perianth tubular; stamens 1. Pistillate inflorescences globose to ellipsoid capitate, flowers numerous; stigmas 1-2, subulate to spathulate. Infructescences large, with a firm outer layer and a soft layer containing the fruits; seed large, without endosperm, cotyledons equal and thick.
Distribution
Asian mainland present, Malaysia present, all over the tropics cultivated
Asian mainland and Malaysia: 47 species, 2 of them cultivated all over the tropics.
Wood
Vessels diffuse, solitary (45-80%) and in short radial multiples and irregular clusters of 2-4, round and oval, 2-6 per sq. mm, diameter 160-310 μm (in the Guianas 100-150μm for A. heterophyllus , and 180-230μm for A. altilis ). Vessel-member length: 350-630 μm. Perforations simple. Inter- vascular pits alternate, round, polygonal and occasionally slightly oval, 9-13 μm. Vessel-ray and vessel-parenchyma pits larger, half-bordered, the borders sometimes reduced. Thin-walled tyloses common, but occasionally absent. White deposits sometimes present.
Rays uniseriate and 3-5-seriate, 3-6 per mm, up to 60-1200 μm high. Heterogeneous, composed of procumbent cells, except for the uniseriate margins of 1-2(5) rows of square and/or upright cells. Occasionally few sheath cells present. Radial latex tubes common.
Parenchyma aliform with short to long wings, occasionally confluent, and sporadically in short wavy bands. Strands of 3-4 cells.
Fibres non-septate, lumen 7-25 μm, walls 2-4 μm. Pits simple, small, confined to the radial walls. Gelatinous fibres present or absent. Length: 1170-1950 μm. F/V ratio: 2.3-3.9.
Vitreous silica common, in the fibres or in the vessels, often enveloping the tyloses. Axial latex tubes sometimes present.
Rays uniseriate and 3-5-seriate, 3-6 per mm, up to 60-1200 μm high. Heterogeneous, composed of procumbent cells, except for the uniseriate margins of 1-2(5) rows of square and/or upright cells. Occasionally few sheath cells present. Radial latex tubes common.
Parenchyma aliform with short to long wings, occasionally confluent, and sporadically in short wavy bands. Strands of 3-4 cells.
Fibres non-septate, lumen 7-25 μm, walls 2-4 μm. Pits simple, small, confined to the radial walls. Gelatinous fibres present or absent. Length: 1170-1950 μm. F/V ratio: 2.3-3.9.
Vitreous silica common, in the fibres or in the vessels, often enveloping the tyloses. Axial latex tubes sometimes present.