EFFECTS OF RADIAL GROWTH RATE ON ANATOMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND WOOD PROPERTIES IN <em>PERONEMA CANESCENS</em> TREES PLANTED IN SOUTH KALIMANTAN, INDONESIA

Abstract

Radial variations of anatomical characteristics and wood properties were investigated for a relatively slowgrowing tropical tree species, Peronema canescens. Based on the results, effects of radial growth rate on anatomical characteristics and wood properties were evaluated. The mean values of stress-wave velocity of stem, vessel diameter, cell wall thickness of wood fibre, wood fibre length, vessel element length, basic density and compressive strength parallel to grain at green condition were 3.94 km s^-1, 201 µm, 2.05 µm, 1.05 mm, 0.21 mm, 0.48 g cm^-3 and 36.9 MPa, respectively. No significant correlations were found between growth characteristics (stem diameter at 1.3 m above ground and tree height) and anatomical characteristics or wood properties. These results suggested that anatomical characteristics and wood properties of this species were independent from growth characteristics, even in relatively slow-growing tree species in the tropics.