Position and role of tension wood in trees - Case study: Eucalypts

Abstract

One-year seedlings of five species of eucalypt: E. camaldulensis, E. microtheca, E. viminalis, E. globulus and E. gunnii were treated for 14 weeks in growth season, tilting a branch to c. 60° in every successful ones. We investigated the anatomical features of stems wood after 15 days and every 2 weeks according to IAWA list of features afterwards.The results showed that tilted stems formed more tension wood in the form of gelatinous fibers than straight (untreated) ones. The formation of gelatinous fibers was considered to be closely related to tension wood formation. The formation of gelatinous fibers was considered to be closely related to tension wood formation. Excluding E. globulus, all the other species formed growth eccentricity and tension wood. Although the significant differences between the species and between different locations in the branches, there were no significant differences between the percent of tension wood among the species studied.

Keywords

• EUCALYPT
• WOOD ANATOMY
• tension wood
• normal wood
• gelatinous fibers