Foram estudadas sete espécies ocorrentes no cerrado (chapada) do município de Santa Quitéria, estado do Maranhão. Dentre os parâmetros determinados para a qualificação da madeira destinada à geração de energia, notadamente carvão siderúrgico e lenha, citam-se a fração parede das fibras, o percentual de fibras, de raios, de parênquima axial, a biomassa total por m 3 de madeira seca e a densidade básica. As espécies Lindackeria paraensis (farinha-seca), Parkia platycephala (faveira), Platonia insignis (bacuri), Salvertia convallariodora (folha-larga), Swartzia flaemingii (jacarandá), Vataifrea macrocarpa (amargoso) e Zeyhera tuberculata (pau-d’arco-cabeludo) apresentam potencial para geração de energia.
The wood anatomy of 7 from “cerrado”(chapada) natives specie), Santa Quitéria(Maranhão ) was studied. Mainly related to their qualification for energy production (charcoal and fire wood). The fraction of total area in a transverse section, fiber vessel, parenchyma cells, and total biomass per cubic meter of dry wood and also the basic density (specific weight) of wood were studied. For energy production, wall fraction in relation to the occupied area of the cell (%), percent of fibers, vessel, and both axial and ray parenchyma, as well as wall density were considered. The study was based in 3 areas in a cross- section of the trunk, from the center towards the sapwood, called areas 1, 2 and 3. Based on anatomy and density mentioned, Lindackeria paraensis (farinha-seca), Parkia platycephala (faveira), Platonia insignis (bacuri), Salvertia convallariodora (folha-grande), Swartzia flaemingii(jacarandá), Vatarea macrocarpa (amargoso) and Zeyhera tuberculata(pau-d”arco- cabeludo) can be classified as energy production tree species.