BEECH O.N. 6711 



BEECH 



Fagus sylvatica Linn. Fagacese. 



A diffuse-porous wood of a whitish to reddish-brown colour with 

 prominent, lustrous rays which in a tangential section make small but 

 clear, brown " ermine " markings. Rather hard and heavy. The sapwood 

 gradually merges into the darker, central wood. 



Transverse section. Boundary, a line of contrast in density between 

 successive rings, often rather vague to the unaided eye, but clear with 

 lens. Contour crenate or notched between the rays (i.e. arched towards 

 the bark). 



Parenchyma not visible with lens. 



Vessels visible with lens, small, diminishing regularly towards th> 

 outer side of the ring, apparently crowded (lens), and occupying most 

 of the section. 



Rays of more than one size (uni- and multiseriate) very bright and 

 evident, irregular in size and spacing, the larger widely separated, light 

 brown, lighter than the ground: harder than the fibres. 



Radial section. Boundaries fairly distinct, always sharp: vessels just 

 visible : rays conspicuous and lustrous. Parenchyma (b) in zones of one 

 cell wide, not visible except with microscope in transparent section. 



Tangential section. As the radial, but the boundaries more evident 

 as loops: rays dark, spindle-shaped bodies, small and widely separated, 

 but very distinct. 



May be confused with : May be distinguished by: 



Plane-tree (rays dull though Rays very bright in all sections, 

 very conspicuous in radial section : in tangential section they are 

 in tangential section they are ob- widely separated and clear though 

 scure, very numerous, and close small : small rays abundant. . Par- 

 together producing a matt surface : enchyma (b) present, 

 small rays rare: no concentric 

 parenchyma (b)). 



Alder (large rays dull and rare, As above: height of rays not 



very high in tangential section, exceeding \ inch, 

 from an inch to many inches). 



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