Cedrela angustifolia Ses. et Moc. ex Dc., Meliaceae: Potential species for tropical dendrochronology

Abstract

The characteristics of Cedrela angustifolia, i.e., its dendrology, ecology, silviculture and wood anatomy were described. This Meliaceae species naturally occurring in Latin America produces annual growth rings with sensibility to climatic variables, such as rainfall and temperature, showing potentiality to climatic reconstruction. The X-ray densitometry of the wood constitutes, besides the usual wood anatomy analysis, a suitable method to delimit the annual growth rings, as well as, to determine the wood density variation from pith to bark and within the growth rings.