
Copyright (c) 2025 Tecnociencia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
We aimed to characterize the anatomical features of Dalbergia retusa and clarify the identity of two wood samples labeled “cocobolo” from East Panama. Each wood sample was morpho-anatomically described, measured, and compared following the International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA) Committee standards. Basic density and fluorescence tests were also conducted. The wood anatomy of both samples aligns with the typical characteristics of the order Fabales and the genus Dalbergia. The combination of these features: vessel frequency, vessel element length, axial parenchyma, fibers and wood density reveals significant structural and functional differences among the three tree samples, which are typically associated with distinct ecological environments. Fluorescence tests did not reveal distinct differences between the samples; however, the density measurements provided useful separation. D. retusa exhibited very high-density values, while sample 1 showed high-density, and sample 2 showed medium density, both of wich suggest variability in the wood properties. The observed anatomical and density differences indicate that the two “cocobolo” samples might represent a distinct taxon, separate from Dalbergia retusa.