Variation of Cellular Proportions in Sweetgum and their Relation to Other Wood Properties

Authors

  • Andrew W. Ezell

Keywords:

Sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua, cellular proportion, fibers, vessels, parenchyma

Abstract

Sweetgum trees from natural stands in Louisiana were sampled along both vertical and radial gradients. From these samples, within-tree variation of cellular proportion has been established. Overall means indicate that vessels comprise 56.6% of the wood, fibers comprise 25.2% of the wood, and parenchyma comprises 18.1% of the wood. Regression analyses using fiber or vessel proportion provided curves that offer predictive capacities with high precision. In sweetgum, fiber proportion generally increases, and vessel proportion generally decreases with increasing height while parenchyma proportion remains relatively unchanged. The same trends were observed in later years of deposition.

References

Ezell, A. W. 1977. Variation of selected anatomical and physical properties in sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) grown on upland and bottomland sites in Louisiana. Ph.D. Dissertation. Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, La. 152 pp.nEzell, A. W., and J. L. Stewart. 1978. The use of single samples to predict average fiber length of entire sweetgum trees. Tappi 61(10):121.nQuirk, J. T. 1975. Dot-grid intergrating eyepiece: two sampling techniques for estimating cell-wall areas. Wood Sci. 8(2):88-91.nTaylor, F. W. 1968. Variations in the size and proportions of wood elements in yellow-poplar trees. Wood Sci. Technol. 2(3):153-165.nTaylor, F. W. 1969a. Variation of wood properties in sycamore. Forest Prod. Util. Lab., Miss. State Univ., Res. Rep. No. 7. 18 pp.nTaylor, F. W. 1969b. Variation of wood properties of pecan. Forest Prod. Util. Lab., Miss. State Univ., Res. Rep. No. 8. 17 pp.nTaylor, F. W. 1971. Variation of wood properties in sugarberry. Forest Prod. Util. Lab., Miss. State Univ., Res. Rep. No. 11. 17 pp.nTaylor, F. W., and T. E. Wooten. 1973. Wood property variation of Mississippi delta hardwoods. Wood Fiber 5(1):2-13.nWooten, T. E. 1968. Variation of wood properties in willow oak. Forest Prod. Util. Lab., Miss. State Univ., Res. Rep. No. 5. 12 pp.nWooten, T. E.,; and F. W. Taylor. 1968. The anatomical and chemical properties of black willow. Forest Prod. Util. Lab., Miss. State Univ., Res. Rep. No. 3. 24 pp.n

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Published

2007-06-28

Issue

Number 2 / Summer 1979

Section

Research Contributions

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