Anatomical studies on the development of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng wood

Abstract

Variability of anatomical characters within a 15 year old stem is presented by the method of contour lines, where against a schematic longitudinal section of a stem points corresponding to the same values for a character are joined by lines, similarly as altitudes in cartography. The method permits prediction of future trends in character changes. It was thus established that tracheid dimensions and diameter of bordered pits in early wood tracheids increase with age of tree and do not reach maximal values before the 15th year. The annual ring width and the height of the rays attain maximal values before the 15th year while the dimensions of ray cells and the percentage of late wood reach almost constant values during the first year or two.