Anatomy of the Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) and Its Application Potential

Jiawei Zhu,Hankun Wang,Chuangui Wang,Jing Li

doi:10.3390/f10121130

Jiawei Zhu, Hankun Wang + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/f10121130

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Abstract

The windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei (Hook.) H. Wendl.) is widely distributed and is an important potential source of lignocellulosic materials. The lack of knowledge on the anatomy of the windmill palm has led to its inefficient use. In this paper, the diversity in vascular bundle types, shape, surface, and tissue proportions in the leaf sheaths and stems were studied with digital microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Simultaneously, fiber dimensions, fiber surfaces, cell wall ultrastructure, and micromechanics were studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a nanoindenter. There is diversity among vascular bundles in stems and leaf sheaths. All vascular bundles in the stems are type B (circular vascular tissue (VT) at the edge of the fibrous sheath (FS)) while the leaf sheath vascular bundles mostly belong to type C (aliform (VT) at the center of the (FS), with the wings of the (VT) extending to the edge of the vascular bundles). In addition, variation among the vascular bundle area and tissue proportion in the radial direction of the stems and different layers of the leaf sheaths is also significant. Microscopically, the fibers in the stem are much wider and longer than that in the leaf sheath. The secondary walls of stem fibers are triple layered while those in the leaf sheath are double layered. The indentation modulus and hardness of the cell wall of leaf sheath fibers are higher than that of the stem. An independent sample t-test also showed a significant difference between stems and leaf sheaths. All this indicates that windmill palm stems and leaf sheaths are two different materials and have different application prospects.

Highlights

The growing environmental crisis has driven efforts for the development of new ecologically sustainable materials
Similar to vascular bundles in the stems, a single leaf sheath of windmill palm is a single vascular bundle composed of fibers and many other types of cells that constitute the fibrous sheath, phloem, xylem vessels, and parenchyma
Xylem and phloem tissues are clearly distinguishable in the vascular bundles of stems and leaf sheaths (Figure 2B–E,G–I)

Summary

Introduction

The growing environmental crisis has driven efforts for the development of new ecologically sustainable materials. The wood shortage has contributed to the rising price of construction materials that has indirectly led to rising housing prices in China. The development of composite materials, especially biomass composites, is an important means to solve this dilemma due to their production being environmentally sustainable and cheap. Materials, such as straw [1], wood processing residues, and grass, have become biomass fillers in composite materials, but they each have their own shortcomings, including impurities, poor adhesion, and so on. The development of a homogenous, mass-produced biomass material would be a significant technological advance

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