WOOD FIBER MORPHOLOGY OF TALISAY-GUBAT (Termirminalia foetidissima Griff.) AND LANIPAU (Terminalia copelandii Elmer.) GROWN IN MAGUINDANAO, PHILIPPINES

ARTICLE HIGLIGHTS- The study examined Terminalia foetidissima and Terminalia copelandii, native Philippine species that remain underutilized due to limited data despite their strong potential for the wood industry. - Wood characterization helps evaluate their fiber properties and potential contribution to meeting increasing wood demand.- The research focused on fiber morphology and derived values of both species grown in Maguindanao, Philippines. - The findings provide reliable baseline data on the basic wood characteristics of these two native Terminalia species. ABSTRACTTalisay-gubat (Terminalia foetidissima Griff.) and Lanipau (Terminalia copelandii Elmer.) are among the Terminalia spp. native in the Philippines. The fiber morphology and derived values of the two species were characterized in this study. Wood samples were collected from matured trees (approximately 10 to 20-yr-old) grown in Maguindanao del Norte (07°08′N 124°16′E). Collected samples were macerated for three-hours, wood fibers were observed under a microscope and then measured using the ImageJ Software. Results showed that T. foetidissima wood exhibited larger fiber diameter (0.041mm), and lumen diameter (0.028mm) with higher flexibility ratio (71.727%). While T. copelandii exhibited longer fiber (1.677mm) with higher cell wall fraction (33.688%), Runkel ratio (0.598), slenderness ratio (51.510), Mulhsteph ratio (51.813%), rigidity coefficient (0.163), and Luce’s shape factor (0.390). Moreover, t-test analysis showed no significant differences in the fiber morphology and derived values. The results indicated that both T. foetidissima and T. copelandii fibers show favorable qualities for pulp and paper production and composite materials. To fully confirm their potential and suitability, however, it is essential to examine other wood properties, including physical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics, as well as factors such as diameter and age classes, height levels, and wood types.