Comparative Wood Anatomy in Pinaceae with Reference to Its Systematic Position

The wood anatomy of 132 species of the genera Abies, Cathaya, Cedrus, Keteleeria, Larix, Nothotsuga, Picea, Pinus, Pseudolarix, Pseudotsuga and Tsuga was studied to determine the elements that characterise the xylem of each genus and discuss possible groupings by wood anatomy for comparison with clades established by molecular phylogeny. The presence of resin canals and ray tracheids supports the family Pinaceae, although the absence of ray tracheids in Keteleeria and their occasional presence in Abies and Pseudolarix weakens it. Based on wood structure, Pinaceae clearly supports division into two groups, coinciding with molecular phylogeny: Pinoideae (Cathaya-Larix-Picea-Pinus-Pseudotsuga) and Abietoideae (Abies-Cedrus-Keteleeria-Nothotsuga-Pseudolarix-Tsuga). Although differences between genera are slight in Pinoideae, the Abietoideae group presents problems such as the presence of only axial resin canals in Keteleeria and Nothotsuga, absence of ray tracheids in Keteleeria and presence of traumatic radial resin canals in Cedrus. However, other features such as pitted horizontal walls and nodular end walls of ray parenchyma cells, indentures, scarce marginal axial parenchyma and presence of crystals in ray parenchyma strengthen the Abietoideae group.

Aspects of pharmacognostic evaluation of the herbs for a traditional antimalarial (maloff-hb) powdered formulation in ogbomoso, Nigeria

Maloff-HB is a documented traditional oral powdered herbal drug in Ogbomoso, Nigeria whose botanical constituents, ascorbic acid and mineral elements composition have been quantified but there is inadequate information on the pharmacognostic properties of the nine herbal materials for its formulation. This study therefore sought to elucidate the bark and wood anatomy of eight of the nine herbs used in the formulation, and identify the diagnostic markers for their authentication. The conventional anatomical techniques of transverse sectioning (TS) and tissue maceration (TIM) were used to draw out 21 characteristics from the root barks of the eight woody species studied. In addition, 41 features of the wood in the roots of three of the species were drawn using TS, transverse longitudinal sectioning (TLS), radial longitudinal sectioning (RLS) and TIM. Following staining, mounting and microscopic examinations, the observed qualitative and quantitative features were taxonomically described in accordance with the provisions of International Association of Wood Anatomists, and their diagnostic values among the medicinal herbs were explored. Bark anatomical markers that are clearly diagnostic of the species studied included features of the secondary cortex, phloem rays, axial parenchyma, sclereids and resin ducts. In the wood, these included features of the vessels in the TS and variable ray characteristics in the TLS. The two artificial keys obtained from discontinuities in qualitative and quantitative features observed in the barks and the woods are useful tools for reliable identification of the herbal materials studied.

Wood Anatomy of Argophyllaceae (Asterales): Adaptation in a Small Clade

Argophyllaceae (Argophyllum, 14 spp.; Corokia, 6 spp.; Lautea, 1 sp.), are shrubs that occur in the southwestern Pacific and eastern Australia. They occur in habitats where moisture is relatively common but dry days and mild frost may occur. The woods of these genera show enough distinctive features to justify their grouping in a single family: perforation plates with 10–20 bars, vessel elements narrow and numerous per mm2, imperforate tracheary elements about 50% longer than the vessel elements, axial parenchyma scarce, diffuse, multiseriate rays narrow and heterocellular (upright cells common in uniseriate rays), crystals absent, gum deposits common. These features group the genera of Argophyllaceae more closely with each other than with the nearest families in Asterales (Alseuosmiaceae, Phellinaceae). Probable apomorphies of the genera include helical thickenings in vessels and tracheids, together with abundant tracheids and rare septate fiber-tracheids (Corokia); almost total absence of axial parenchyma and tracheids combined with maximal abundance of septate fiber-tracheids and no helical thickenings (Argophyllum, Lautea). Lautea, formerly included within Corokia, has floral and foliar distinctions and is endemic to a single island, Rapa Iti. Woods of Argophyllaceae are alike in their ecological adaptations (perforation plates, vessel diameter and density) but the presence of tracheids and helical thickenings in Corokia suggest adaptations to frost and mild drought. As expected, vessels group more prominently in the tracheid-free species (Argophyllum, Lautea) but very little in the tracheid-rich genus Corokia.

Forestry control in the Brazilian Amazon II: charcoal anatomy of 21 species

The production of illegal charcoal, associated with other local human practices, is responsible for the degradation of native forests, especially in the Brazilian Amazon. The need for market control and charcoal production is accompanied by the lack of comparative charcoal materials from the Amazon. Here, we describe charcoal samples of 21 Brazilian species and provide SEM images that can facilitate the charcoal identification. It is possible to distinguish the species on the basis of anatomy. Features such as vessel groupings, vessel–ray pitting, perforation plates, axial parenchyma, ray cellular composition, storied structure and secretory elements were chosen as primary diagnostic features for the identification of species. We highlight vessel groupings, axial parenchyma type and in some cases even perforation plates, which were easily observed in low magnification SEM images and can assist in the supervision by government agents. From our descriptions, evaluations and photomicrographs, it will be possible to compare charcoal from commercial species from the Amazon.

Comparison of anatomical features in the three Syzygium species

This study was conducted to provide foundational anatomical information of three infrequently used wood species growing in tropical areas. Three species of the genus Syzygium, namely the clove tree, kupa, and spicate eugenia, were selected. The representative anatomical features of these species were classified using the International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA) anatomical feature list. The representative anatomical features of the clove tree included the distribution of small vessels with tangential diameters of approximately 60 µm in cross-surface, a dense spacing of vessels, the axial parenchyma in narrow bands or lines up to three cells wide, and the body ray cells procumbent with over four rows of upright and/or square marginal cells. The kupa showed axial parenchyma confluent and the body ray cells were procumbent with over four rows of upright and/or square marginal cells. In the spicate eugenia, the axial parenchyma was diffused in aggregate with exclusively uniseriate rays and the body ray cells were procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells. These three species were easily identified by optical microscopy via the anatomical features of the woods.

Bark characterization of Tachigali guianensis and Tachigali glauca from the Amazon under a valorization perspective

Barks of Tachigali guianensis and Tachigali glauca, from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, were studied regarding anatomy and chemical composition. The barks were similar, with a narrow rhytidome, a ring of sclerified cells below the periderm, a widely dilated and sclerified nonconducting phloem, septate crystal strands, and extensive phenolic deposits in cells. Differences between the species were mainly in the sclerenchyma. Proportions of cell types in the T. guianensis and T. glauca barks were, respectively: 27.8% and 28.3% axial parenchyma, 15.6% and 15.1% sieve tube elements, 11.6% and 13.4% radial parenchyma, 15.6% and 8.7% sclereids, and 30.5% and 34.5% fibers. Chemical analysis showed that the T. guianensis and T. glauca barks included, respectively: 18.0% and 15.3% extractives, 1.8% and 1.0% suberin, 26.8% and 27.9% lignin, and 3.5% and 4.5% ash. The predominant polysaccharides were glucose (72.8% and 82.8% of total neutral sugars) and xylose (17.9% and 11.6%). Ethanol-water extracts were high in phenolics (total phenolics of 441.0 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) / g extract and 641.7 mg GAE / g extract), with moderate antioxidant activities (IC50 values of 7.3 µg extract / mL and 5.6 µg extract / mL). Tachigali guianensis bark and, particularly, T. glauca bark may be sources of phenolic compounds.

Anatomical characterization of wood for identification of the Tachigali Aubl. species

In the Amazon many forest species present problems of identification and obtaining botanical material with reproductive structures is not always possible. The macro and microscopic characteristics of the wood of three species of the genus Tachigali Aubl were analyzed in order to determine basic differences among the species. The collection of material was carried at the Forest Management Unit III, in the Flona do Jamari (Jamari National Forest), where we selected arboreal individuals from the species Tachigali poeppigiana Tul., Tachigali setifera (Ducke) Zarucchi & Herend and Tachigali subvelutina (Benth.) Oliveira-Filho, commonly known in Brazil as Tachi Preto (Black Tachi), Tachi Vermelho (Red Tachi) and Tachi Amarelo (Yellow Tachi), respectively, in which the coloring of the core is the main attribute for assigning their vernacular name. Heartwood samples were collected for the making of the specimens. The axial parenchyma was vasicentric and unilateral for T. poeppigiana and T. setifera, and unilateral and sparse for T. subvelutina. Pores were classified as medium and large for T. setifera and T. poeppigiana and very uncommon for T. subvelutina; however, they are medium and very uncommon for the three species. All species showed uniseriate, non-stratified and homogeneous rays. We concluded there are anatomical characteristics that allow the differentiation of the species from the genus Tachigali, which may be used to assist in forest management plans, as well as the surveillance system.

Using Lenses Attached to a Smartphone as a Macroscopic Early Warning Tool in the Illegal Timber Trade, in Particular for CITES-Listed Species

Wood anatomy is a key discipline as a tool for monitoring the global timber trade, particularly for wood listed in protected species conventions such as Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). One of the main barriers to reducing illegal trafficking of protected species is ensuring that customs officials with appropriate training in wood anatomy are equipped with simple tools, at both the origin and destination of shipments, so they can raise an early warning about wood suspected of contravening international treaties and immediately send samples to a specialised laboratory. This work explains how lenses attached to a smartphone, capable of achieving up to 400× magnification using the phone digital zoom, can be used to distinguish features that are not visible with traditional 10× or 12× lenses, enhancing the capacity to view features not typically observable in the field. In softwoods, for example, this method permits determination of the type of axial parenchyma arrangement, whether there are helical thickenings in axial tracheids and whether axial tracheids have organic deposits or contain alternate polygonal pits, and in the rays, if the tracheids are smooth-walled or dentate and if the cross-field pits are window-like. In hardwoods, it allows verification of the presence of tyloses and deposits in vessels, the type of perforation plates and whether the intervascular pitting is scalariform; in the rays it is possible to differentiate the types of ray cells; and in the axial parenchyma, to determine the presence of oil cells. In addition, unlike macroscopic analysis with a conventional magnifying lens, this type of lens can be used with the appropriate mobile application for the biometry of important elements such as ray height and vessel diameter.

A NEW SPECIES OF JUNIPEROXYLON FROM THE EARLY MIOCENE OF NORTHWESTERN TURKEY

Many different Cupressaceae species were described from the early Miocene of Turkey. Particularly, Glyptostroboxylon Conventz, 1885 and Taxodioxylon Hartig, 1848 from Cupressaceae are the most common genera. With the present study, a new fossil Juniperoxylon (Houlbert, 1910) Kräusel, 1949 species from early Miocene of north-western Turkey was described as Juniperoxylon acarcaea Akkemik sp. nov. The new species has diffuse and zonate axial parenchyma, 2-3 (5) cupressoid pits per cross-field, sometimes presence of crassulae, uniseriate to biseriate, opposite, frequent, contiguous and sometimes spaced radial wall pits, even uniseriate and irregularly or alternately biseriate pits on tangential walls, horizontal walls of rays smooth and/or pitted, ray width uniseriate and rarely partly biseriate, and end walls of axial parenchyma nodular and smooth. The new species is the first Juniperoxylon species description from Turkey. According to the vegetation units (VU), this fossil species may indicate the forest was likely well-drained lowland and/or upland conifer forest (VU7).

Ciri Anatomi, Morfologi Serat, dan Sifat Fisis Tiga Jenis Lesser-Used Wood Species Asal Kalimantan Utara, Indonesia

The purpose of this study was to analyze anatomical characteristics, fiber morphology, and several important physical properties of nyatoh (Palaquium lanceolatum), pisang putih (Sindora walichii), and sepetir (Mezzettia leptopoda) wood from North Kalimantan in order to support the proper utilization of each wood species. All parameters were analyzed using their standard procedures. Results showed that anatomical characteristics of nyatoh wood are the vessels predominantly are in radial multiples and contained tyloses, ray parenchyma is mostly uniseriate and even, while axial parenchyma is in narrow tangential line with irregularly spaced. For pisang putih wood, the vessels are exclusively solitary, ray parenchyma of two distinct sizes, while axial parenchyma are in continuous tangential bands with irregularly spaced. In case of sepetir wood, the vessel is in radial and diagonal patterns, rays tend to have two different sizes, axial parenchyma is vasicentric to aliform, and has the axial resin canals in continuous tangential bands. Average values of fiber length and fiber wall thickness are 1904 and 3.61 µm (nyatoh), 1708 and 4.51 µm (pisang putih), and 1337 and 3.39 µm (sepetir), respectively; while the mean values of specific gravity and T/R-ratio are 0.42 and 1.41 (nyatoh), 0.37 and 2.34 (pisang putih), and 0.32 and 1.40 (sepetir), respectively. Nyatoh wood is categorized as the Strength Class of III, while pisang putih and sepetir woods are categorized as the Strength Class of IV. Compared to pisang putih and sepetir woods, nyatoh wood is more potential for pulp, paper, and furniture manufacturing. Keywords: anatomical characteristics, fiber morphology, lesser-used wood species, physical properties