Burls and Badges

[fireaxe]

I had heard a speaker a few years ago at some conference??? that was talking about the several mechanisms that the tree uses for control of growth. Pretty eyes-glazed-over crowd for the most part. The chemical systems that are at play in a tree are quite complex chemistry. Getting out of "balance" would seem to be a rarity unless we talk about urban trees. Completely amazing that it isn't screwed up more often!

That said, the biochemistry going on in the plant is nearly isolated from the field of arboriculture. Few delve into understanding it fully. We move on with our modifications without due respect given to this chemistry. Just sayin.

It is VERY fascinating.

The sucker (word used intentionally) thread isn't dead, just playing with some thoughts. No time to research and eloquate on the thoughts at the moment. Sorry to dissapoint about its death.

 

[theXman]

I should say, I've liked this discussion and everyones thoughts. Guy, fireax and jomocos, etc. just thought I should let my true feelings be shown.

 

[jomoco]

Your dedication to trees and technical prowess at rigging them down speak very well of you X.

Someone's gotta get paid to assassinate them right?

Welcome to the assassin's club, whose members admire their prey, and wish there was a better way.

Guilty as charged your honor!

Jomoco

 

[jomoco]

Jack Vance is an extremely talented Science Fiction Fantasy writer, who, unfortunately about to kick the bucket.

A few of his best novels portrayed genetically engineered trees in which families lived in a symbiotic relationship with the trees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Houses_of_Iszm


In this fiction man had figured out how to provide via their waste products essential nutrients and gases needed by the tree, in exchange for the tree growing in a basal hollowed manner sufficient to provide interior living spaces for the family. But rather than a dead membrane between host and occupant was a living inner cambium sucking up excretions from its occupants, including carbon dioxide and oxygen.

Kinda like a genetic cross between an African Baobob tree and a giant Sequoia!

The future is brighter for tree lovers like Jack Vance gracing us with his marvelous writings and presence on our blue marble world of discoveries.

Jomoco

 

[Frax]

[ QUOTE ]
As I consider the thought that it would be caused by an insect...

These do last for several years.

Maybe an insect as a vector to a virus? I can't see an insect forcing tree tissue to conform to its wishes as is completely possible for a virus.

[/ QUOTE ]

Insects do though. The gall-making wasps were already mentioned as examples. Growths caused by insects are galls. The secretions of the insect cause specific growths in specific plants. It's alway a specific insect/host relationship. It can be extremely complex. Galls can be on stems, buds, leaves, fruit or maybe even roots.

But I don't think burls and these badge things are galls. But I'm no expert on your eastern stuff either. I've only written one book about bugs.

 

[jomoco]

Burls are quite common on the roots of some tree species.

According to some experts a burl is one or more stem buds that can't differentiate into proper limbs. The cause of them not complying to their genetic imput orders and mutating instead may some day be known.

http://science.yourdictionary.com/burl

Manzanita root burls are common.

http://www.bowlwood.com/Bowls_2.html

Jomoco

 

[fireaxe]

The perenial lesion is what makes me think that the cellular equipment has been hi-jacked. A prion will invade host tissues and take over to make some different stuff, kinda like a virus. It is a memory stretch to get that far. Could just be tumorous growth of a rogue cell. Odd that it presents the same though. If I get on the job with the willow oak with these formations, I'll pull a core quietly.

The burls I saw last year were cut into really cool benches in Alaska. I carefully looked at the "burl" and I swear I couldn't differentiate it from "normal" growth.

Neat for sure.

 

[classictruckman]

I saw pancakes like these earlier this year on a red oak, they were very large and each pancake covered most of the stem, the tree had 2 stems each about 36"DBH hollow up to about 6" in diameter. I cabled the 2 stems together, and I wish I had taken some pictures.