Seasonal activity of cambium in some tropical trees. 111. Salvadora persica L.

Abstract

Seasonal activity of cambium has been investigated in Salvadora persica L., one of the commonest evergrenn tree of northern India, from March, 1974 to February, 1975 in the main stem and the branch. Secondary vascular cambium behaves abnormally on the xylem side, by producing xylem and phloem in succession, resulting in the formation of interxylary phloem. It has a storied (sitratified) cambium organization, comprising short fusiform and isodiametric ray initials. The fusiform initials show characteristically beaded cell walls due to the presence of primary pit fields and are uninucleate. These are highly vacuolate during the active period. The cambial activity starts in the month of March, reaches the peak in August and finally slows down in the main stem. In an young branch, however, it is initiated in March-April and reaches the peak in July and then declines till November. It once again showed an upward trend gradually. It appears that the initiation of the combial activity in this tree takes place by a hormone produced in the newly formed leaves, coupled with the high rainfall, enhanced relative humidity, optimum temperature, and short-day conditions. Size measurements for the fusiform initials showed considerable variations during the span of a year. A comparision of the organization of three types of phloem 'normal', 'included' and 'internal' occurring in this plant has also bean presented.