Vessel
Definition
A conducting cell in hardwood (angiosperm) xylem, visible on a cross-section as a pore. Vessel arrangement, diameter, grouping, and wall features are primary identification characters.
Related terms
- IAWA feature list
- A standardized set of coded anatomical characters published by the International Association of Wood Anatomists for hardwoods (1989) and softwoods (2004), used...
- InsideWood
- A peer-reviewed online database at North Carolina State University containing anatomical descriptions and photomicrographs for over 9,000 hardwood species, used as a...
- Parenchyma
- Thin-walled, roughly spherical or elongated cells that form the bulk of soft plant tissues, including the leaf mesophyll. They are the most...
- Ray
- A ribbon of cells running radially (outward from the centre) through wood, carrying materials horizontally and storing starch. Ray width (in cell...
- Ring-porous vs. diffuse-porous
- In ring-porous woods, large vessels form a distinct band in early wood and smaller vessels in late wood. In diffuse-porous woods, vessel...
Explained in
- Wood Anatomy and Timber IdentificationA conducting cell in hardwood (angiosperm) xylem, visible on a cross-section as a pore. Vessel arrangement, diameter, grouping, and wall features are primary i...