Wood Property Difference Between Two Stands of Sycamore and Black Willow

Authors

  • Fred W. Taylor

Keywords:

Platanus occidentalis, Salix nigra, wood quality, specific gravity, tissue volumes, fiber length, ring width, fiber diameter, fiber wall thickness

Abstract

Wood properties of natural stands of willow and sycamore growing along the southern reaches of the Mississippi River were investigated. Properties of mature wood measured were specific gravity, fiber dimensions, and the proportional volume of xylem tissue composed of vessels, fibers and parenchyma.

There are no statistically significant differences between measured properties of sycamore stands, and willow stands vary significantly only in fiber length and the proportion of vessels and ray tissue present.

Correlation analysis revealed that there is no significant relationship between diameter growth rate and specific gravity for either species. Specific gravity is positively related to fiber wall thickness in willow, but there is little relationship among these properties in sycamore. The specific gravity of sycamore is, however, positively related to ray content. This relationship is important to tree breeders, because selection of high specific gravity phenotypes may result in an increase of ray tissue in select material.

References

DeZeeuw, C. 1965. Variability in wood. Pages 457-471 in W. A. Côté, Jr. ed. Cellular ultrastructure of woody plants. Syracuse Univ. Press, Syracuse, NY.nDinwoodie, J. M. 1961. Tracheid and fiber length in timber-a review of literature. Forestry 34:125-144.nFranklin, G. L. 1945. Preparation of thin sections of synthetic resins and wood resin composites, and a new macerating method for woods. Nature 155(3924):51.nLee, J. C. 1972. Natural variation in wood properties of American sycamore. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, N.C. State University, Raleigh, NC.nSpurr, S. H., and M. G. Hyvarinen. 1954. Wood fiber length as related to position in the tree and growth. Bot. Rev. 20:561-575.nTamolang, F. N., R. R. Valbuena, B. A. Lomibao, C. L. Kalaw, T. M. Lindayen, and B. C. de Vela. 1960. Fiber dimensions of certain Philippine woods, bamboos, agricultural crops and wastes, and grasses. Tappi 43(6):527-534.nTaylor, F. W. 1968. Variations in the size and proportions of wood elements in yellow-poplar trees. Wood Sci. Tech. 2(3):153-165.nTaylor, F. W. 1969a. Variation of wood properties in sycamore. Res. Rep. No. 4, Forest Products Utilization Laboratory, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi.nTaylor, F. W. 1969b. The effect of ray tissue on the specific gravity of wood. Wood Fiber 1(2):142-145.nTaylor, F. W. 1973. Variations in the anatomical properties of South African grown Eucalyptus grandis. Appita 27 (3):171-178.nTaylor, F. W. 1975. Fiber length measurement-an accurate inexpensive technique. Tappi 58 (12):126-127.nUnited States Department of Agriculture. 1965. Silvics of Forest Trees in the United States. Agriculture Handbook No. 271. Forest Service.nWooten, T. E., and F. W. Taylor. 1968. The anatomical and chemical properties of black willow. Res. Rep. No. 3, Forest Products Utilization Laboratory, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi.n

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Published

2007-06-05

Issue

Number 3 / Fall 1975

Section

Research Contributions

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