Softwood anatomy
Longitudinal tracheids
Earlywood and Latewood
EW-LW transition - abrupt Latewood Earlywood
EW-LW transition - gradual Latewood Earlywood
EW-LW transition - intermediate Latewood Earlywood
EW-LW transition - abrupt Latewood Earlywood Latewood Earlywood Latewood Earlywood
EW-LW transition - gradual Latewood Earlywood Latewood Earlywood
EW-LW transition - intermediate Earlywood Latewood Earlywood Latewood
EW-LW transition - abrupt Earlywood Latewood
EW-LW transition - gradual Earlywood Latewood
Growth ring width variation Three very different growth rates (Douglas-fir all shown at the same magnification)
Bordered pits Inter-tracheid bordered pit
Bordered pits
Bordered pits – less common arrangements Paired Alternate
Longitudinal parenchyma
Longitudinal parenchyma
Resin canals
Resin canals Large diameter Small diameter
Resin canals Large resin canals Small resin canals Non-resinous
Resin canals White pine Lodgepole pine Spruce Douglas-fir
Resin canals Large resin canals Small resin canals Non-resinous
Resin canals Traumatic Paired Multiple
Rays – uniseriate rays Uniseriate rays
Rays – fusiform rays Fusiform ray (including horizontal resin canal)
Rays – fusiform rays Fusiform ray (including horizontal resin canal)
Spiral thickening Spiral thickening on inside of cell wall
Spiral thickening Spiral thickenings
Cross-field pitting
Cross-field pitting Lodgepole pine White spruce Red pine Douglas-fir
Cross-field details bordered pits between ray ray tracheid dentations tracheids ray tracheid dentations bordered pits between ray tracheids and longitudinal tracheids semi-bordered pits
Hardwoods
Red alder – aggregate rays
Red alder – aggregate rays
Genuine mahogany Red lauan
Red lauan – gum ducts