Need a macro-photograph of the end grain.....
Although this discussion is progressing along a path of successive approximations, these amount to educated guesses unless some concrete data is added to be able to evaluate what the wood can or can not be.
Is it possible to post a high resolution image or two of the cellular structure of the end grain of wood as shown in a freshly cut cross section (with a razor blade or very sharp plane, and not a saw), so that some of the most basic characters needed can be seen to at least get a start on an ID?
Macro-characters like bark texture, thickness, color, composition, etc. are useful, but the really telling characteristics are found at the cellular level. Leaves and fruits are even better, but often do not accompany wood samples, particularly those species frequently identified as "curbwood" or "gavemealogwood". Without a better set of characters derived from a close-up image of a freshly cut end-grain cross section, a real identification is not likely to emerge. While I can tell you LOTS of wood species that it isn't, I will refrain from even speculating on what species the wood IS without more information.
I contend that what Richard asked for was really more along the lines of "Does anyone RECOGNIZE this wood?" instead of being an actual wood identification. I emphasize this point in my Wood Identification demonstration. Most people do not identify wood, they recognize it from previous experience. Give them something new they have never seen, they don't recognize it, and thus cannot "identify" it. Identification is an analytical process of collecting characters, processing them through an identification key, and deducing the name by eliminating all possible alternatives. You can identify wood using this process, even if you have never seen the wood before.
Maybe we should develop an AAW web page or do an American Woodturner article on the basics of wood identification so people might be able to learn what kinds of information are needed to begin the process of putting a name to unknown samples of wood. Do you think that would be useful?
Rob