Anatomical characteristics of southern pine stemwood
| Authors: | Elaine T. Howard, Floyd G. Manwiller |
| Year: | 1968 |
| Type: | Scientific Journal |
| Station: | Southern Research Station |
| Source: | wood Science Vol. 2(2): 77-86 |
Abstract
To obtain a definitive description of the wood and anatomy of all 10 species of southern pine, juvenile, intermediate, and mature wood was sampled at three heights in one tree of each species and examined under a light microscope. Photographs and three-dimensional drawings were made to illustrate the morphology. No significant anatomical differences were found which would separate individual species.
In all species, latewood tracheids occassionally contained short segments of spiral thickening. Callitroid-like thickenings were found at some latewood pits and sometimes appeared to be associated with the spiral thickenings. Tangential pits of the same size as adjacent radial pits were scattered throughout the annual ring. Only uniseriate radial pitting was found in early-wood tracheids of Virginia pine, but this is of little diagnostic value, as individual samples from other species may lack two- and three-row pitting.
Ray tracheids of spruce pine generally appeared less dentate than those of the other species; all except spruce pine contained sporadic thick-walled ray parenchyma. Longitudinal parenchyma partially surrounds most vertical resin canals.