Difference between revisions of "Tree"

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[[Image:coastredwood.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The [[conifer]]ous [[Sequoia|Coast Redwood]], the tallest tree species on earth.]]
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[[Image:Raunkiaer.jpg|300px|right|thumb|An [[oak]] tree]]
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A '''tree''' is a [[woody]] plant that produces one main [[trunk]] and a more or less distinct and elevated head.{{SCH}}
  
A '''tree''' is a large, [[Perennial plant|perennial]], [[woody plant]]. Though there is no set definition regarding minimum size, the term generally applies to plants at least 6 [[Metre|m]] (20 [[Foot (unit of length)|ft]]) high at maturity and having secondary branches supported on a main stem or stems (see [[shrub]] for comparison). Most trees exhibit clear [[apical dominance]], though this is not always the case (Mitchell, 1978).<ref> Mitchell, A. (1978). ''Trees of Britain & Northern Europe''. Harper Collins. London. ISBN 0-00-219213-6 </ref> Compared with most other plant forms, trees are long-lived. A few species of trees grow to 115 m (375 ft) tall and some can live for several thousand years.
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==Life cycle==
 
 
Trees are an important component of the natural landscape due to their prevention of [[erosion]] and significant elements in [[Landscape architecture|landscaping]] and [[agriculture]], both for their [[aesthetics|aesthetic]] appeal and their [[orchard]] crops (such as [[apple]]s). [[Wood]] from trees is a common [[building material]]. Trees also play an intimate role in many of the world's [[mythology|mythologies]] (see [[trees in mythology]]).
 
Trees have also been found to play an important role in producing [[oxygen]] and reducing [[carbon dioxide]] in the atmosphere, as well as moderating ground temperatures and increasing [[albedo]]. These traits could potentially help to alleviate [[Global warming]].
 
==Classification==
 
[[Image:Raunkiaer.jpg|200px|right|thumb|An [[oak]] tree in [[Denmark]]]]
 
A tree is a plant form that occurs in many different [[order (biology)|orders]] and [[family (biology)|families]] of plants. Trees show a wide variety of growth forms, leaf type and shape, bark characteristics, and reproductive organs.
 
 
 
The earliest trees were [[tree fern]]s and [[horsetail]]s, which grew in vast [[forest]]s in the [[Carboniferous]] Period; tree ferns still survive, but the only surviving horsetails are not of tree form. Later, in the [[Triassic]] Period, [[Pinophyta|conifers]], [[ginkgo]]s, [[cycad]]s and other [[gymnosperm]]s appeared, and subsequently [[flowering plant]]s in the [[Cretaceous]] Period. Most species of trees today are flowering plants (Angiosperms)and conifers. The listing below gives examples of many well-known trees and how they are typically classified.
 
 
 
A small group of trees growing together is called a [[grove (nature)|grove]] or '''copse''', and a landscape covered by a dense growth of trees is called a '''[[forest]]'''. Several [[biotope]]s are defined largely by the trees that inhabit them; examples are [[rainforest]] and [[taiga]] (see [[ecozone]]s). A landscape of trees scattered or spaced across grassland (usually grazed or burned over periodically) is called a '''[[savanna]]'''.
 
 
 
==Morphology==
 
 
 
[[Image:Leavessnipedale.jpg||thumb|right|200px|Leaves are an important feature of trees.  These are [[Beech]] leaves.]]
 
[[Image:WisconsinScenery.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Tree [[root]]s anchor the structure and provide [[water]] and [[nutrients]].  The ground has [[erosion|eroded]] away around the roots of this young [[Pine]] tree.]]The basic parts of a tree are the [[root]]s, [[trunk (botany)|trunk]](s), [[branch]]es, [[twig]]s and [[leaf|leaves]]. Tree stems consist mainly of support and transport tissues ([[xylem]] and [[phloem]]). [[Wood]] consists of ''xylem'' cells, and [[bark]] is made of ''phloem'' and other tissues external to the vascular cambium.
 
 
 
Trees may be broadly grouped into ''exogenous'' and ''endogenous'' trees according to the way in which their stem diameter increases. Exogenous trees, which comprise the great majority of modern trees (all [[Pinophyta|conifer]]s, and all [[dicotyledon|broadleaf]] trees), grow by the addition of new wood outwards, immediately under the bark. Endogenous trees, mainly in the [[monocotyledon]]s (e.g. [[palm tree|palms]]), grow by addition of new material inwards.
 
 
 
As an exogenous tree grows, it creates [[growth ring]]s. In temperate climates, these are commonly visible due to changes in the rate of growth with temperature variation over an annual cycle. These rings can be counted to determine the age of the tree, and used to date cores or even wood taken from trees in the past; this practice is known as the science of [[dendrochronology]]. In some tropical regions with constant year-round climate, growth is continuous and distinct rings are not formed, so age determination is impossible. Age determination is also impossible in endogenous trees.
 
 
 
The roots of a tree are generally embedded in earth, providing anchorage for the above-ground [[biomass]] and absorbing [[water]] and [[nutrients]] from the [[soil]]. It should be noted, however, that while ground nutrients are essential to a tree's growth the majority of its biomass comes from carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere (see [[photosynthesis]]). Above ground, the trunk gives height to the leaf-bearing branches, aiding in competition with other plant species for [[sunlight]]. In many trees, the arrangement of the branches optimizes exposure of the leaves to sunlight.
 
 
 
All trees have all the plant organs or parts mentioned above. For example, most palm trees are not branched, the [[Saguaro|saguaro cactus]] of North America has no functional leaves, [[tree fern]]s do not produce bark, etc. Based on their general shape and size, all of these are nonetheless generally regarded as trees. Indeed, sometimes size is the more important consideration. A plant form that is similar to a tree, but generally having smaller, multiple trunks and/or branches that arise near the ground, is called a [[shrub]]. However, no sharp differentiation between shrubs and trees is possible. Given their small size, [[bonsai]] plants would not technically be 'trees', but one should not confuse reference to the form of a species with the size or shape of individual specimens. A spruce seedling does not fit the definition of a tree, but all spruces are trees.
 
 
 
== Life stages ==
 
[[Image:Mokh.jpg|thumb|150px|A moss-covered tree.]]
 
 
The life cycles of trees, especially conifers, are divided into the following stages in [[forestry]] for survey and documentation purposes, though the boundaries between stages vary among foresters:
 
The life cycles of trees, especially conifers, are divided into the following stages in [[forestry]] for survey and documentation purposes, though the boundaries between stages vary among foresters:
 
# [[Seed]]
 
# [[Seed]]
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# [[Log]]/[[debris]]: fallen dead wood
 
# [[Log]]/[[debris]]: fallen dead wood
  
Tree diameters are measured at height of between 1.3–1.5 m above the highest point on the ground at its base (known as "[[Diameter at breast height|breast height]]"). The 7 cm diameter definition is economically based, from the smallest merchantable stem size (for [[paper]] production, etc). Each stage may be uniquely susceptible to different pathogens and suitable for especially adapted [[arboreal]] organisms.
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==Gallery==
 
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<gallery>
==Champion trees==
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Image:coastredwood.jpg|The [[conifer]]ous [[Sequoia|Coast Redwood]], the tallest tree species on earth.
The world's champion trees can be considered on several factors; height, trunk diameter or girth, total size, and age. It is significant that in each case, the top position is always held by a [[Pinophyta|conifer]], though a different species in each case; in most measures, the second to fourth places are also held by conifers.
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Image:Leavessnipedale.jpg|Leaves are an important feature of trees.  These are [[Beech]] leaves.
 
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Image:Mokh.jpg|A moss-covered tree.
===Tallest trees===
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Image:birchandmaple.jpg|[[Birch]] tree (foreground) and [[maple]] tree (background) in fall.
The heights of the tallest trees in the world have been the subject of considerable dispute and much (often wild) exaggeration. Modern verified measurement with [[laser]] rangefinders combined with tape drop measurements made by tree climbers, carried out by the [http://www.nativetreesociety.org/ U.S. Eastern Native Tree Society] has shown that most older measuring methods and measurements are unreliable, often producing exaggerations of 5% to 15% above the real height. Historical claims of trees of 117 m, 130 m, and even 150 m, are now largely disregarded as unreliable, fantasy or outright fraud. The following are now accepted as the top five tallest reliably measured species:
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Image:Applebox.JPG|''[[Eucalyptus|Eucalyptus bridgesiana]]''.
# [[Sequoia|Coast Redwood]] ''Sequoia sempervirens'': '''115.55 m''' '''(379.1 ft.)''', [[Redwood National Park]], [[California]] ([http://www.conifers.org/cu/se/index.htm Gymnosperm Database])
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Image:Davidia1.jpg|[[Nyssaceae]]: ''a [[Dove tree]] in flower''
# [[Coast Douglas-fir]] ''Pseudotsuga menziesii'': '''100.3 m''' '''(329.1 ft.)''', Brummit Creek, [[Coos County, Oregon|Coos County]], [[Oregon]] ([http://www.conifers.org/pi/ps/menziesii2.htm Gymnosperm Database])
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Image:1859-Martinique.web.jpg|Coconut Palm, a monocotyledonous tree.
# [[Eucalyptus regnans|Australian Mountain-ash]] ''Eucalyptus regnans'': '''97.0 m''' '''(318.2 ft.)''', Styx Valley, [[Tasmania]] ([http://www.gianttrees.com.au/ Tasmanian Giant Trees])
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Image:DirkvdM orosi mossy-tree.jpg|A moss-covered tree.
# [[Sitka Spruce]] ''Picea sitchensis'': '''96.7 m''' '''(317.3 ft.)''', [[Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park]], California ([http://www.conifers.org/pi/pic/sitchensis.htm Gymnosperm Database])
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Image:WisconsinScenery.jpg|Tree [[root]]s anchor the structure and provide [[water]] and [[nutrients]]. The ground has [[erosion|eroded]] away around the roots of this young [[Pine]] tree.
# [[Sequoiadendron|Giant Sequoia]] ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'': '''94.9 m''' '''(307.1 ft.)''', Redwood Mountain Grove, [[Kings Canyon National Park]], California ([http://www.conifers.org/cu/se2/index.htm Gymnosperm Database])
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</gallery>
[[Image:Tree From Below.JPG|thumb|A view of a tree from below; this may exaggerate apparent height]]
 
 
 
===Stoutest trees===
 
The girth ([[circumference]]) of a tree is – or at least should be – much easier to measure than the height, as it is a simple matter of stretching a tape round the trunk, and pulling it taut to find the circumference. Despite this, UK tree author [[Alan Mitchell]] made the following comment about measurements of [[Taxus baccata|yew]] trees in the [[British Isles]]:
 
:"The aberrations of past measurements of yews are beyond belief. For example, the tree at Tisbury has a well-defined, clean, if irregular bole at least 1.5 m long. It has been found to have a girth which has dilated and shrunk in the following way: 11.28 m (1834 Loudon), 9.3 m (1892 Lowe), 10.67 m (1903 Elwes and Henry), 9.0 m (1924 E. Swanton), 9.45 m (1959 Mitchell) .... Earlier measurements have therefore been omitted".
 
 
 
As a general standard, tree girth is taken at 'breast height'; this is defined differently in different situations, with most [[forestry|foresters]] measuring girth at 1.3 m above ground, while [[ornamental plant|ornamental tree]] measurers usually measure at 1.5 m above ground; in most cases this makes little difference to the measured girth. On sloping ground, the "above ground" reference point is usually taken as the highest point on the ground touching the trunk, but some use the average between the highest and lowest points of ground. Some of the inflated old measurements may have been taken at ground level. Some past exaggerated measurements also result from measuring the complete next-to-bark measurement, pushing the tape in and out over every crevice and buttress.
 
 
 
Modern trends are to cite the tree's [[diameter]] rather than the circumference; this is obtained by dividing the measured circumference by [[Π (number)|π]]; it assumes the trunk is circular in cross-section (an oval or irregular cross-section would result in a mean diameter slightly greater than the assumed circle). This is cited as '''dbh''' ([[diameter at breast height]]) in tree literature.
 
 
 
A further problem with measuring [[baobab]]s ''Adansonia'' is that these trees store large amounts of [[water]] in the very soft wood in their trunks. This leads to marked variation in their girth over the year, swelling to a maximum at the end of the rainy season, minimum at the end of the dry season. Although baobabs have some of the highest girth measurements of any trees, no accurate measurements are currently available, but probably do not exceed 10-11 m diameter.
 
 
 
The stoutest species in diameter, excluding baobabs, are:
 
# [[Taxodium mucronatum|Montezuma Cypress]] ''Taxodium mucronatum'': '''11.42 m''', [[Árbol del Tule]], Santa Maria del Tule, [[Oaxaca]], [[Mexico]] (A. F. Mitchell, ''International Dendrology Society Year Book 1983'': 93, 1984).
 
# [[Sequoiadendron|Giant Sequoia]] ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'': '''8.85 m''', [[General Grant tree]], [[Grant Grove]], California ([http://www.conifers.org/cu/se2/index.htm Gymnosperm Database])
 
# [[Sequoia|Coast Redwood]] ''Sequoia sempervirens'': '''7.44 m''', Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California ([http://www.conifers.org/cu/se/index.htm Gymnosperm Database])
 
 
 
===Largest trees===
 
The largest trees in total [[volume]] are those which are both tall and of large diameter, and in particular, which hold a large diameter high up the trunk. Measurement is very complex, particularly if branch volume is to be included as well as the trunk volume, so measurements have only been made for a small number of trees, and generally only for the trunk. No attempt has ever been made to include [[root]] volume.
 
 
 
The top four species measured so far are ([http://www.conifers.org/topics/biggest.htm Gymnosperm Database]):
 
# [[Sequoiadendron|Giant Sequoia]] ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'': '''1489 m³''', [[General Sherman(tree)|General Sherman]]
 
# [[Sequoia|Coast Redwood]] ''Sequoia sempervirens'': '''1045 m³''', Del Norte Titan tree
 
# [[Thuja plicata|Western Redcedar]] ''Thuja plicata'': '''500 m³''', [[:Image:QuinaultLakeCedar 7274c.jpg|Quinault Lake Redcedar]]
 
# [[Agathis australis|Kauri]] ''Agathis australis'': '''400 m³''', [[Tane Mahuta]] tree (total volume, including branches, 516.7 m³)
 
However, the [[Fitzroya|Alerce]] ''Fitzroya cupressoides'', as yet un-measured, may well slot in at third or fourth place, and [[Taxodium mucronatum|Montezuma Cypress]] ''Taxodium mucronatum'' is also likely to be high in the list. The largest [[angiosperm]] tree is an [[Eucalyptus regnans|Australian Mountain-ash]], the 'El Grande' tree of 439 m³ in [[Tasmania]] ([http://www.gianttrees.com.au/massive.htm Tasmanian Giant Trees]).
 
 
 
===Oldest trees===
 
The [[list of long-living organisms|oldest]] trees are determined by growth rings, which can be seen if the tree is cut down or in cores taken from the edge to the center of the tree. Accurate determination is only possible for trees which produce growth rings, generally those which occur in seasonal climates; trees in uniform non-seasonal tropical climates grow continuously and do not have distinct growth rings. It is also only possible for trees which are solid to the center of the tree; many very old trees become hollow as the dead [[Wood#Heartwood and sapwood|heartwood]] decays away. For some of these species, age estimates have been made on the basis of extrapolating current growth rates, but the results are usually little better than guesswork or wild speculation. White (1998)<ref> White, J. (1990). ''Estimating the Age of Large and Veteran Trees in Britain''. Forestry Commission. Edinburgh. </ref> proposes a method of estimating the age of large and veteran trees in the [[United Kingdom]] through the correlation between a tree's stem diameter, growth character and age.
 
 
 
The verified oldest measured ages are ([http://www.conifers.org/topics/oldest.htm Gymnosperm Database]):
 
# [[Great Basin Bristlecone Pine]] ''Pinus longaeva'': 4844 years
 
# [[Fitzroya|Alerce]] ''Fitzroya cupressoides'': 3622 years
 
# [[Sequoiadendron|Giant Sequoia]] ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'': 3266 years
 
# [[Lagarostrobos|Huon-pine]] ''Lagarostrobos franklinii'': 2500 years
 
# [[Rocky Mountains Bristlecone Pine]] ''Pinus aristata'': 2435 years
 
 
 
Other species suspected of reaching exceptional age include [[Taxus baccata|European Yew]] ''Taxus baccata'' (probably over 3000 years) and [[Western Redcedar]] ''Thuja plicata''.
 
 
 
The oldest verified age for an angiosperm tree is 2293 years for the [[Sri Maha Bodhi]] [[Sacred Fig]] (''Ficus religiosa'') planted in [[288 BC]] at [[Anuradhapura]], [[Sri Lanka]]; this is also the oldest human-planted tree with a known planting date.
 
 
 
==Trees in culture==
 
{{main|Tree (mythology)}}
 
The tree has been a popular cultural symbol in most of the world. Common icons are the [[World tree]], for instance [[Yggdrasil]], and the [[tree of life]]. The tree often represents nature or the environment itself.A tree can also symbolise [[investment]], and is featured in insignia of some banks, for instance [[Swedbank]].
 
 
 
==Major tree genera==
 
=== Flowering plants (Magnoliophyta; angiosperms) ===
 
====Dicotyledons (Magnoliopsida; broadleaf or hardwood trees)====
 
* [[Altingiaceae]] ([[Sweetgum]] family)
 
** [[Sweetgum]], ''Liquidambar'' species
 
* [[Anacardiaceae]] ([[Cashew]] family)
 
** [[Cashew]], ''Anacardium occidentale''
 
** [[Mango]], ''Mangifera indica'' [[Image:NamadgiTree.jpg|thumb|''Eucalyptus niphophila'' in [[Namadgi National Park]]]]
 
** [[Pistachio]], ''Pistacia vera''
 
** [[Sumac]], ''Rhus'' species
 
** [[Toxicodendron|Lacquer tree]], ''Toxicodendron verniciflua''
 
*[[Annonaceae]] ([[Custard apple]] family)
 
** [[Cherimoya]] ''Annona cherimola''
 
** [[Custard apple]] ''Annona reticulata''
 
** [[Pawpaw]] ''Asimina triloba''
 
** [[Soursop]] ''Annona muricata''
 
* [[Apocynaceae]] ([[Dogbane]] family)
 
** [[Pachypodium]] ''Pachypodium'' species
 
* [[Aquifoliaceae]] ([[Holly]] family)
 
**[[Holly]], ''Ilex'' species
 
* [[Araliaceae]] ([[Hedera|Ivy]] family)
 
** [[Kalopanax]], ''Kalopanax pictus'' [[Image:birchandmaple.jpg|thumb|[[Birch]] tree (foreground) and [[maple]] tree (background) in fall.]]
 
* [[Betulaceae]] ([[Birch]] family)
 
** [[Alder]], ''Alnus'' species
 
** [[Birch]], ''Betula'' species
 
** [[Hornbeam]], ''Carpinus'' species
 
** [[Hazel]], ''Corylus'' species
 
*[[Bignoniaceae]] (family)
 
**[[Catalpa]], ''Catalpa'' species
 
* [[Cactaceae]] ([[Cactus]] family)
 
** [[Saguaro]], ''Carnegiea gigantea''
 
* [[Cannabaceae]] ([[Cannabis (genus)|Cannabis]] family)
 
** [[Hackberry]], ''Celtis'' species
 
* [[Cornaceae]] ([[Dogwood]] family)
 
** [[Dogwood]], ''Cornus'' species
 
* [[Dipterocarpaceae]] family
 
** [[Garjan]] ''Dipterocarpus'' species
 
** [[Sal]] ''Shorea'' species
 
* [[Ebenaceae]] ([[Persimmon]] family)
 
** [[Diospyros|Persimmon]], ''Diospyros'' species
 
* [[Ericaceae]] ([[Heath]] family)
 
** [[Arbutus]], ''Arbutus'' species
 
* [[Eucommiaceae]] ([[Eucommia]] family)
 
** [[Eucommia]] ''Eucommia ulmoides '' 
 
* [[Fabaceae]] ([[Pea]] family)
 
** [[Acacia]], ''Acacia'' species
 
** [[Honey locust]], ''Gleditsia triacanthos''
 
** [[Black locust]], ''Robinia pseudoacacia''
 
** [[Laburnum]], ''Laburnum'' species
 
** [[Caesalpinia echinata|Pau Brasil]], Brazilwood, ''Caesalpinia echinata''
 
* [[Fagaceae]] ([[Beech]] family )
 
** [[Chestnut]], ''Castanea'' species
 
** [[Beech]], ''Fagus'' species
 
** [[Southern beech]], ''Nothofagus'' species
 
** [[Tanoak]], ''Lithocarpus densiflorus''
 
** [[Oak]], ''Quercus'' species
 
* [[Fouquieriaceae]] ([[Boojum tree|Boojum]] family)
 
** [[Boojum tree|Boojum]], ''Fouquieria columnaris''
 
* [[Hamamelidaceae]] ([[Witch-hazel]] family)
 
** [[Parrotia persica|Persian Ironwood]], ''Parrotia persica''
 
* [[Juglandaceae]] ([[Walnut]] family)
 
** [[Walnut]], ''Juglans'' species
 
** [[Hickory]], ''Carya'' species
 
** [[Wingnut]], ''Pterocarya'' species
 
* [[Lauraceae]] ([[Bay laurel|Laurel]] family)
 
** [[Cinnamon]] ''Cinnamomum zeylanicum''
 
** [[Bay Laurel]] ''Laurus nobilis''
 
** [[Avocado]] ''Persea americana''
 
* [[Lecythidaceae]] ([[Lecythidaceae|Paradise nut]] family)
 
** [[Brazil Nut]] ''Bertholletia excelsa''
 
* [[Lythraceae]] [[Loosestrife]] family
 
** [[Crape-myrtle]] ''Lagerstroemia'' species
 
* [[Magnoliaceae]] ([[Magnolia]] family)
 
** [[Liriodendron|Tulip tree]], ''Liriodendron'' species
 
** [[Magnolia]], ''Magnolia'' species
 
* [[Malvaceae]] ([[Mallow]] family; including [[Tilia|Tiliaceae]] and [[Bombacaceae]]) [[Image:Baobab Kruger 2003.jpg|right|thumb|Baobab tree in South-Africa.]]
 
** [[Baobab]], ''Adansonia'' species
 
** [[Silk-cotton tree]], ''Bombax'' species
 
** [[Brachychiton|Bottletree]]s, ''Brachychiton'' species
 
** [[Kapok]], ''Ceiba pentandra''
 
** [[Durian]], ''Durio zibethinus''
 
** [[Balsa]], ''Ochroma lagopus''
 
** [[Cacao]] ([[cocoa]]), ''Theobroma cacao''
 
** [[Tilia|Linden]] (Basswood, Lime), ''Tilia'' species
 
* [[Meliaceae]] ([[Mahogany]] family)
 
** [[Neem]], ''Azadirachta indica''
 
** [[Bead tree]], ''Melia azedarach''
 
** [[Mahogany]], ''Swietenia mahagoni''
 
* [[Moraceae]] ([[Mulberry]] family) [[Image:Applebox.JPG|thumb|right|''[[Eucalyptus|Eucalyptus bridgesiana]]'' on [[Red Hill, Australian Capital Territory]].]]
 
** [[Ficus|Fig]], ''Ficus'' species
 
** [[Mulberry]], ''Morus'' species
 
* [[Myristicaceae]] ([[Nutmeg]] family)
 
** [[Nutmeg]], ''Mysristica fragrans''
 
* [[Myrtaceae]] ([[Myrtle]] family)
 
** [[Eucalyptus]], ''Eucalyptus'' species
 
** [[Myrtle]], ''Myrtus'' species
 
** [[Guava]], ''Psidium guajava'' [[Image:Davidia1.jpg|right|thumb|[[Nyssaceae]]: ''a [[Dove tree]] in flower'']]
 
* [[Nyssaceae]] ([[Tupelo]] family; sometimes included in [[Cornaceae]])
 
** [[Tupelo]], ''Nyssa'' species
 
** [[Dove tree]], ''Davidia involucrata''
 
* [[Oleaceae]] ([[Olive]] family)
 
** [[Olive]], ''Olea europaea''
 
** [[Ash tree|Ash]], ''Fraxinus'' species
 
*[[Paulownia]]ceae ([[Paulownia]] family)
 
**[[Paulownia|Foxglove Tree]], ''Paulownia'' species
 
* [[Platanaceae]] ([[Platanus|Plane]] family)
 
** [[Platanus|Plane]], ''Platanus'' species
 
* [[Rhizophoraceae]] ([[Mangrove]] family)
 
** Red Mangrove, ''Rhizophora mangle''
 
* [[Rosaceae]] ([[Rose]] family)
 
** [[Rowan]]s, [[Whitebeam]]s, [[Sorbus|Service Trees]] ''Sorbus'' species
 
** [[Crataegus|Hawthorn]], ''Crataegus'' species
 
** [[Pear]], ''Pyrus'' species
 
** [[Malus|Apple]], ''Malus'' species
 
** [[Almond]], ''Prunus dulcis''
 
** [[Peach]], ''Prunus persica''
 
** [[Plum]], ''Prunus domestica''
 
** [[Cherry]], ''Prunus'' species
 
* [[Rubiaceae]] ([[Bedstraw]] family)
 
** [[Coffea|Coffee]], ''Coffea'' species
 
* [[Rutaceae]] ([[Rue]] family)
 
** [[Citrus]], ''Citrus'' species
 
** [[Cork-tree]], ''Phellodendron'' species
 
** [[Tetradium|Euodia]], ''Tetradium'' species
 
* [[Salicaceae]] ([[Willow]] family)
 
** [[Aspen]], ''Populus'' species
 
** [[Poplar]], ''Populus'' species
 
** [[Willow]], ''Salix'' species
 
[[Image:yellowmaple.jpg|thumb|Yellow [[maple]] in fall.]]
 
* [[Sapindaceae]] (including [[Aceraceae]], [[Aesculus|Hippocastanaceae]]) ([[Soapberry]] family)
 
** [[Maple]], ''Acer'' species
 
** [[Aesculus|Buckeye, Horse-chestnut]], ''Aesculus'' species
 
** [[Mexican Buckeye]], ''Ungnadia speciosa''
 
** [[Lychee]], ''Litchi sinensis''
 
** [[Koelreuteria|Golden rain tree]], ''Koelreuteria''
 
* [[Sapotaceae]] ([[Sapodilla]] family)
 
**[[Argan]], ''Argania spinosa''
 
** [[Gutta-percha]], ''Palaquium'' species
 
** [[Tambalacoque]], or "dodo tree", ''Sideroxylon grandiflorum'', previously ''Calvaria major''
 
* [[Simaroubaceae]] family
 
** [[Ailanthus|Tree of heaven]], ''Ailanthus'' species
 
* [[Theaceae]] ([[Camellia]] family)
 
** [[Gordonia]], ''Gordonia'' species
 
** [[Stuartia]], ''Stuartia'' species
 
* [[Thymelaeaceae]] ([[Thymelaea]] family)
 
** [[Ramin]], ''Gonystylus'' species
 
* [[Ulmaceae]] ([[Elm]] family)
 
** [[Elm]], ''Ulmus'' species
 
** [[Zelkova]], ''Zelkova'' species
 
* [[Verbenaceae]] family
 
** [[Teak]], ''Tectona'' species
 
 
 
====Monocotyledons (Liliopsida)====
 
[[Image:1859-Martinique.web.jpg|right|thumb|Coconut Palm, a monocotyledonous tree.]]
 
* [[Agavaceae]] ([[Agave]] family)
 
** [[Cabbage tree (New Zealand)|Cabbage tree]], ''Cordyline australis''
 
** [[Dragon tree]], ''Dracaena draco''
 
** [[Joshua tree]], ''[[Yucca]] brevifolia''
 
* [[Arecaceae]] (Palmae) ([[Arecaceae|Palm]] family)
 
** [[Areca]] Nut, ''Areca catechu''
 
** [[Coconut]] ''Cocos nucifera''
 
** [[Date Palm]], ''Phoenix dactylifera''
 
** [[Chusan Palm]], ''Trachycarpus fortunei''
 
* [[Poaceae]] ([[grass]] family)
 
** [[Bamboo]]s Poaceae subfamily Bambusoideae
 
* Note that [[banana]] 'trees' are not actually trees; they are not woody nor is the stalk perennial.
 
 
 
=== Conifers (Pinophyta; softwood trees)===
 
* [[Araucariaceae]] ([[Araucaria]] family)
 
** [[Araucaria]], ''Araucaria'' species
 
** [[Agathis|Kauri]], ''Agathis'' species
 
**  [[Wollemia]], ''Wollemia nobilis''
 
* [[Cupressaceae]] (Cypress family)
 
** [[Cupressus|Cypress]], ''Cupressus'' species
 
** [[Chamaecyparis|Cypress]], ''Chamaecyparis'' species
 
** [[Juniper]], ''Juniperus'' species
 
** [[Fitzroya|Alerce]] or Patagonian cypress, ''Fitzroya cupressoides''
 
** [[Cryptomeria|Sugi]], ''Cryptomeria japonica''
 
** [[Sequoia|Coast Redwood]], ''Sequoia sempervirens''
 
** [[Sequoiadendron|Giant Sequoia]], ''Sequoiadendron giganteum''
 
** [[Metasequoia|Dawn Redwood]], ''Metasequoia glyptostroboides''
 
** [[Thuja plicata|Western Redcedar]] ''Thuja plicata''
 
** [[Taxodium|Bald Cypress]], ''Taxodium'' species
 
* [[Pinaceae]] ([[Pine]] family)
 
** [[Pinus classification|White pine]], ''Pinus'' species
 
** [[Pinus classification|Pinyon pine]], ''Pinus'' species
 
** [[Pine]], ''Pinus'' species
 
** [[Spruce]], ''Picea'' species
 
** [[Larch]], ''Larix'' species
 
** [[Douglas-fir]], ''Pseudotsuga'' species
 
** [[Fir]], ''Abies'' species
 
** [[Cedar]], ''Cedrus'' species
 
* [[Podocarpaceae]] ([[Yellowwood]] family)
 
** [[Afrocarpus|African Yellowwood]], ''Afrocarpus falcatus''
 
** [[Podocarpus totara|Totara]], ''Podocarpus totara''
 
** [[Prumnopitys ferruginea|Miro]], ''Prumnopitys ferruginea''
 
** [[Dacrycarpus dacrydioides|Kahikatea]], ''Dacrycarpus dacrydioides''
 
** [[Dacrydium cupressinum|Rimu]], ''Dacrydium cupressinum''
 
* [[Sciadopitys|Sciadopityaceae]],
 
** [[Sciadopitys|Kusamaki]], ''Sciadopitys'' species
 
* [[Taxaceae]] ([[Taxus|Yew]] family)
 
** [[Taxus|Yew]], ''Taxus'' species
 
 
 
=== Ginkgos (Ginkgophyta)===
 
* [[Ginkgo|Ginkgoaceae]] ([[Ginkgo]] family)
 
** [[Ginkgo]], ''Ginkgo biloba''
 
 
 
=== Cycads (Cycadophyta)===
 
* [[Cycadaceae]] family
 
** Ngathu [[cycad]], ''Cycas angulata''
 
* [[Zamiaceae]] family
 
** Wunu [[cycad]], ''Lepidozamia hopei''
 
 
 
=== Ferns (Pterophyta)===
 
* [[Cyatheaceae]] and [[Dicksoniaceae]] families
 
** [[Tree fern]]s, ''Cyathea'', ''Alsophila'', ''Dicksonia'' (not a [[monophyletic]] group)
 
 
 
== See also ==
 
{{commons|Trees}}
 
{{wiktionarypar|tree}}
 
[[Image:DirkvdM orosi mossy-tree.jpg|thumb|300px|A moss-covered tree near [[Orosí]], [[Costa Rica]].]]
 
* [[Arboretum]]
 
** [[Pinetum]]
 
* [[Arboriculture]] (the care of trees)
 
* [[Bonsai]]
 
* [[Christmas tree]]
 
* [[Dendrology]] (the study of trees)
 
** [[Dendrochronology]]
 
** [[Dendroclimatology]]
 
* [[Ecology]]
 
** [[Tree-line]]
 
* [[Exploding tree]]
 
* [[Forest]]
 
* [[Forestry]]
 
** [[Deforestation]]
 
** [[Plantation]]
 
** [[Urban forestry]]
 
** [[Woodland management]]
 
* [[Fruit trees]]
 
* [[List of famous trees]]
 
* [[List of garden plants]]
 
* [[Plant]]s
 
* [[Prehistoric plant]]s
 
* [[Tree climbing]]
 
* [[Tree (mythology)|Trees in mythology]]
 
* [[Trees of the world]]
 
** [[Trees of Britain and Ireland]]
 
** [[Trees of Canada]]
 
** [[List of U.S. state trees]]
 
** [[Trees of the Caribbean Basin]]
 
** [[Trees of Iran]]
 
** [[List of trees native to New Zealand]]
 
* [[Wood]]
 
** [[List of woods]]
 
** [[Xiloteque]]
 
 
 
== External links ==
 
* [http://www.isa-arbor.com/ International Society of Arboriculture]
 
* [http://www.globaltrees.org/default.asp Global Trees Campaign (campaigning to save the world's most threatened trees)]
 
* [http://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide Tree Guide at arborday.org]
 
 
 
==Bibliography==
 
<div class="references-small">
 
* [[Thomas Pakenham|Pakenham, T.]] (2002). ''Remarkable Trees of the World''. ISBN 0-297-84300-1
 
* Pakenham, T. (1996). ''Meetings with Remarkable Trees''. ISBN 0-297-83255-7
 
* [[Colin Tudge|Tudge, C]]. (2005). ''The Secret Life of Trees. How They Live and Why They Matter''. Allen Lane. London. ISBN 0-713-99698-6
 
</div>
 
 
 
==References==
 
<div class="references-small">
 
<references/>
 
</div>
 
  
{{DEFAULTSORT:*}}
+
{{glossary}}
  
[[Category:Plants]]
 
[[Category:Forestry]]
 
 
[[Category:Trees]]
 
[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Botany]]
 
[[Category:plant morphology]]
 

Revision as of 22:22, 17 April 2009

An oak tree

A tree is a woody plant that produces one main trunk and a more or less distinct and elevated head.CH

Life cycle

The life cycles of trees, especially conifers, are divided into the following stages in forestry for survey and documentation purposes, though the boundaries between stages vary among foresters:

  1. Seed
  2. Seedling: the above-ground part of the embryo that sprouts from the seed
  3. Sapling: After the seedling reaches 1 m tall, and until it reaches 7 cm in stem diameter
  4. Pole: Trees from 7–30 cm diameter
  5. Mature tree: over 30 cm diameter, reproductive years begin
  6. Old tree: dominate old growth forest; height growth slows greatly, with majority of productivity in seed production
  7. Overmature: dieback and decay become common
  8. Snag: standing dead wood
  9. Log/debris: fallen dead wood

Gallery


This article contains a definition from the Glossary of Gardening Terms.