Tension/compression

[sloth]

Broadleaved trees lay down extra tension wood to strengthen branches.

Confers lay down extra compression wood to strengthen branches.

Am I correct with the above? Why do eucalyptus not follow suit, are they a type of confer?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Broadleaved trees lay down extra tension wood to strengthen branches.

Confers lay down extra compression wood to strengthen branches.

Am I correct with the above? Why do eucalyptus not follow suit, are they a type of confer?

 

rather than think "conifers" which sets your mind down a path, think gymnosperms

 

angiosperms (broadleafs) tension

 

Gymnosperms (primitive/conifers) compression

 

I dont know for certain yet, but i think this is another of those broad generalisations that traps a students mind into a path of confusions.

 

at the end of the day all trees have compression and tension, its more about how trees modify using the two, broadleafs can pull up a branch using tension, and conifers by pushing them up via compression.

 

But as with all these generalisations their are many shades of grey between the black and white examples within the lessons!

 

im not an expert in which trees do what, but I hope this helps a little.

[sloth]

Yes it does, thanks was just something I noticed a while back which made me ponder, exceptions to every rule!

[Amelanchier]

Tension / compression wood refer to anatomically unique tissue, generally produced as Hama notes by angiosperms and gynosperms respectively.

 

Of course stress is stress and the cambium may lay down additional wood where it is needed without being able to specialise it, giving the impression of compression wood in Angios (which I too have seen in E. gunnii) and tension wood in Gymnos (which I have seen on C. macrocarpa).

[sloth]

Have not noticed tension wood on macrocarpa before, have to keep an eye out

[Amelanchier]

Ah. That's the issue - its not "tension wood" per se, its normal wood generated to react to tension. I might have an old phone pic somewhere...

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tony, do you know of a volume that specifically deals with wood formation and biology?

 

I mean in the region of £100 plus, the sort of all you need to know book, the sort i bankrupt myself for!

[Amelanchier]

Carlquist - Comparative wood anatomy is priced beyond mortals.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Carlquist - Comparative wood anatomy is priced beyond mortals.

 

ooooo.... oooooo my precious! that looks well worth a purchase, thanks tony:thumbup1:

 

have to wait a month though, just bought ryvardens european polypores volumes 1 and 2!

[morten]

Carlquist - Comparative wood anatomy is priced beyond mortals.

 

It seems you can actually read that book online Comparative wood anatomy: systematic ... - Google Books