Measuring the Tissues of Cunninghamia lanceolate by Microscopic Observation

Abstract

Observations on the tissues in the trunk of Cunninghamia lanceolata have been carried out by scanning electron microscope and optical microscope. C. lanceolata was mostly composed of tracheid and ray, and almost no axial parenchyma were observed. Starch was observed in the ray parenchyma. It was found that the ratio of ray was higher than that of Cryptomeria japonica and Chamaecyparis obtusa. The results of the measurement of cell length revealed that the length and width of ray of C. lanceolata is longer and wider than those of C. japonica and C. obtusa. These indicate that conductive tissues of C. lanceolata is more developed compared to those of C. japonica and C. obtusa, which presumably contributes to the fast growing of C. lanceolata.