Lecture 2:

Wood Cell Structure

• Tree Stem
• Development of young stem
• Wood formation

Lecture by : Dr. Paiman Bawon

Department of Forest Production
Faculty of Forestry
UPM
Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009
Tree can be divided into 3 divisions:
the root systems
the stem
the crowns: leaves & branches
 Each of part has their own functions
Roots anchor the tree in the ground and absorb water and
minerals
Stems supports the crown and conducts minerals to leaves
Leaves ( crown) absorb gases + mineral  photosynthesis
We only focus/concern to Stem. Why?
Stem is the biggest part of a tree
Stem is where the timber come from
It should be long, straight and quite big in diameter
- Redwoods and Eucalyptus can reach >100 m height
- Giant Squoia: 84m height and 11m in diameter

Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009

Growth rings, earlywood, latewood:
 In the tree which live in seasonal climate the
cambium is not active at the whole time
 In winter it is inactive (dormancy)
 In spring or wet season the cambium is reactivated
and its start to divide actively again
 the xylem cells formed at the beginning of the season
tend to be large and have thin walls. This is called
earlywood or springwood
 At summer the cambial activity slows down and the
xylem cells tend to be smaller with thick walls. This is
called latewood or summerwood.
 The difference between earlywood and latewood
make it possible to discern as concentric circles in
cross-section of stem or branch. These rings are called
as growth rings or annual rings
Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009
Growth rings, earlywood, latewood:
Springwood = earlywood
Summerwood = latewood

1. Count age of tree

5
 Compression wood

rings are not centered

Because the tree is not
growing straight up

2. Expect the growth direction

of tree

6
 Sapwood:
SAPWOOD
 Sapwood is an area of wood containing
living and dead cells.
 Active part of stem that transports water
HEARTWOOD from root up to leaves for photosynthesis
process.
 All part of stems provide structural support

Heartwood:
 Heartwood is a central core of wood that containing dead cells
 Non active part of stem, except to provide structural support
 Heartwood’s cell can be filled with defensive or waste material (extractive
materials)
- darker in color
- bring extra defense against fungi attack.
Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009
Main part of stem and it’s functions
(Stem tissues): The stem made of parts:
bark:
outer bark
phloem (inner bark)
cambium
xylem (wood):
pith
heartwood
sapwood
rays
annual rings:
(Softwood):
earlywood (springwood)
latewood (summerwood)

Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009

 Outer Bark:
 Bark is composed of an outer protective layer (outer
bark) and an inner layer (phloem).
Wood grows  increases the diameter  bark cracks and
flakes off  inner layer develops and replace the old outer
bar.
 Outer bark protects the tree from damaged by insect,
animal, people, mechanical injury, extreme
temperature, etc.

Phloem (inner layer):

Phloem is a thin layer between outer bark and cambium.
Phloem is formed by division of cambium tissues outward
It functions: conducting of foods (sugar) from leaves downward of tree, to cover over minor
wound, and to defense the tree against decay

Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009

Cambium
Cambium is a thin layer between the
xylem and phloem that produces
new xylem and phloem tissue.
Cambium is important part of a tree.
It is a zone of cell generation
through divisions and expansion
which add the circumference of a
tree.
outward forms phloem, inward forms
xylem
Cambium completely sheaths the
tree: twigs, branches, trunk, and roots

Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009

Wood rays:
 Sap move down trough the phloem but the
food is necessary in the cambium  need
wood rays:
 to provide horizontal movement of sap (food)
from phloem to the cambium
 function as storing carbohydrates (near the
center of the tree)
 serve as avenues for stored materials outward
following periods of dormancy.

Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009

  A tree manufacture its own food through the photosynthesis
process (in the leaves).
- H2O (from the soil)
- CO2 (from the atmosphere)
- light (from the sun)
H2O (taken up by the roots) moved through the outer part of the
xylem (sapwood) up to the leaves.
CO2 is taken in through openings in leaf surfaces.

Energy to the tree:

sunlight - making leaves
H2O + CO2 sugars - making new shoots
chlorophyll
chlorophyll - making new wood
- stored for later use
 Sugar used in making new wood move down a tree through the
phloem.
Sugar is transported in the form of sap
(a solution containing various sugars, water, growth regulators, etc.)

Source : Haygreen and Bowyer, Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009
Wood formation :
 The regions in which cells divide repeatedly are
called as meristematic zone.
 The meristematic zone at the apex of the main stem is
called the apical meristem
Apical meristem controls the extent the development of
branches and shoots
Cell division at the apical meristem serves to lengthen the
main stem .
 The lateral meristematic layer is called vascular
cambium
• Vascular cambium consist of a one- to several-cell-width
ring of meristematic cells
• Cell division at the vascular cambium serves to enlarge the
diameter of stem
• The vascular cambium remains active throughout the life
of the tree (or tree height)

Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009

Wood formation :
 Cambium layer consist of two kind of cells:
1) fusiform initials  long slender cells
2) ray initials  short, rounded cells
 Fusiform initials divide repeatedly to form new
cambial initials or new xylem and phloem cells.
Division // T-plane is called periclinal division  results in
formation of xylem or phloem cells
Division // R-plane is termed anticlinal division
 Periclinal division of fusiform initial results in
formation of two cells:
 one remains meristematic and a part of the cambium
 the other becomes xylem or phloem mother cell
 the mother cell expands radially and develops into a
mature xylem or phloem element. Maturation of new
xylem cells involves growth in diameter and length

Lecture note : Courtesy of Edi S. Bakar, PhD. 2009

Secondary growth

Cell division