Anatomical structural differences between branch and trunk in Ailanthus altissima wood

Abstract

Wood fiber dimensions such as length, diameter, lumen width, cell wall thickness, Runkel ratio, slenderness ratio, flexibility ratio of Ailanthus altissima were investigated from wood of trunk and branches. In trunk wood, the length, diameter, lumen width, cell wall thickness, Runkel ratio, slenderness ratio, flexibility ratio were 940±167, 22.8±4.63, 16.16±4.69, 3.34±1.18, 0.46±0.21, 42.97±11.57, 70.12±9.97 μm respectively, whereas for branch wood the corresponding values were 594±134, 17.81±3.53, 12.78±3.71, 2.49±0.6, 0.38±0.26, 35.31±11.03, 70.70±9.81 μm respectively. Fiber dimensions of A. altissima are in the normal range for hardwoods. The morphology of fibers and its fiber indices from the A. altissima wood is reasonably good for the purpose of paper manufacturing. The short length and thin walled fibers may be expected to give relatively dense papers which are weak in tearing strength, but are superior in burst and tensile properties.