ANATOMICAL CHANGES ON CHARRING 6 AFRICAN HARDWOODS

Charcoal often retains sufficient qualitative anatomical features for the family and genus of the wood to be identified. During the charring process however, considerable and sometimes unexpected changes in qua ntitative characters occur, which are of particular importance to spec ies identification and ecological wood anatomy. Comparative measuremen ts were made using charred and uncharred trunk-wood from six common so uthern African savanna trees. Samples were charred for 30 minutes at e ither 400 or 700-degrees-C. Charcoal yield and significant quantitativ e changes in vessel diameter and ray cells are related both to wood an atomy and to the process of combustion. Differences observed on charri ng were most closely correlated with the nature and quantity of the fi bres. Axial parenchyma cells expanded after charring at both temperatu res.