Traumatic Gum-Resin Cavities in the Stem of Ailanthus Excelsa Roxb.

Abstract

Traumatic gum-resin cavities develop in the secondary xylem of the stem of Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. in response to fungal infection and ethephon treatment. After infection or ethephon treatment, traumatic parenchyma in several cell layers develops instead of normal secondary xylem elements. It consists of unlignified axial and ray parenchyma cells. Vessels and fibres are absent. Gum-resin cavities in one or two tangential rows develop in this tissue by the lysis of its axial parenchyma cells. The cavities are bordered by an epithelium. A few layers of traumatic parenchyma cells adjacent to the epithelial cens become meristematic and appear cambiform. The epithelial cells undergo lysis and they evidently contribute to gum-resin formation. As the lysis of epithelial cens proceeds, the adjacent cambiform cens divide to form additional epithelial cells. The process continues for some time and eventually an the axial cells of the traumatic parenchyma break down forming a tangentially anastomosing network of cavities. The cavities do not traverse the ray cells, and the multiseriate rays remain intact like bridges amidst the ramifying cavities.