Wood Flashcards
What are the two types of wood found in a tree?
Heartwood and Sapwood
Heartwood is the older, non-functional xylem, while sapwood is the newer, functional xylem that transports sap.
What is heartwood?
The older layers of secondary xylem that no longer transport water and minerals
Heartwood is darker due to resins and compounds that protect the tree’s core.
What is sapwood?
The newest outer layers of secondary xylem that still transport xylem sap
Sapwood is lighter in color compared to heartwood.
What is the difference in composition between hardwood and softwood?
Xylem vessels are absent in softwood.
Hardwood is from dicot angiosperms; Softwood is from gymnosperms
What are growth rings?
Layers of secondary xylem that reflect growth conditions over time
They appear as lighter and darker rings in a cross-section of a tree trunk.
What is spring wood?
Wood developed early in spring characterized by large lumen and thin walls
This structure maximizes water delivery to new leaves.
What is summer wood?
Wood produced during the rest of the growing season with thick walls and small lumen
Summer wood does not transport much water but provides structural support.
How can the age of a tree be estimated?
By counting the annual rings in the cross-section of the tree trunk
Each year’s growth appears as a distinct ring.
True or False: Only the young secondary phloem functions in phloem translocation.
True
Old secondary phloem is sloughed off.
Fill in the blank: The _______ of a tree is generally darker than sapwood.
Heartwood
This is due to the presence of resins and protective compounds.
What type of xylem is absent in softwood?
Xylem vessels
This is a key distinction between hardwood and softwood.
