Epicormic Strand Structure in Angophora, Eucalyptus and Lophostemon (Myrtaceae): Implications for Fire Resistance and Recovery

• Published in: The New phytologist Vol. 153; no. 1; pp. 111 - 131
• Main Author: Burrows, G. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science 01-01-2002; Blackwell Science Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Anatomy; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; Bark; Biological and medical sciences; Cambium; coppice; Coppicing; epicormic bud strand; eucalypt; Eucalyptus; fire resistance; Forest ecology; Forest fires; Forest management. Stand types and stand dynamics. Silvicultural treatments. Tending of stands. Natural regeneration; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; meristem; Meristems; Plant growth. Development of the storage organs; Plant physiology and development; Plants; Plants and fungi; resprouting; Secondary xylem; Stand types and stand dynamics. Silvicultural treatments. Tending of stands. Natural regeneration; Trees; Vegetative apparatus, growth and morphogenesis. Senescence; Interspecific comparison; Bark; Tolerance; Regrowth; Ecology; Woody plant; Vegetation dynamics; Anatomy; Meristem; Bud; Eucalyptus; Regeneration; Coppice; Dicotyledones; Epicormic bud; Angiospermae; Myrtaceae; Spermatophyta; Vegetation fire; Cambium; FIRE ECOLOGY; Localization; Vegetation structure
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1046/j.0028-646X.2001.00299.x

• Epicormic bud producing structures in the eucalypts, a large group of woody plants of considerable ecological, horticultural and silvicultural importance, are described here. • The outer portion of epicormic strands excised from the bark of large diameter stems of 18 Eucalyptus species, two Angophora species and Lophostemon confertus was examined anatomically in semithin sections. • In the inner bark each eucalypt strand usually possessed 5-12 radially orientated strips of tissue of meristematic appearance. The meristem strips were c. 30-50 μm high, 70-110 μm wide and 2000-10 000 μm long, with a lacuna above the meristem surface. Few buds or bud primordia were associated with the strands and the strands appeared to have a reduced regenerative potential in the outer bark. • In most angiosperm trees dormant epicormic buds are present in the outer bark, a position where they could be killed by fire. By contrast, in eucalypts the greatest epicormic bud initiation potential is at the level of the vascular cambium, which is protected by the maximum bark thickness. This might explain the pronounced ability of eucalypts to produce bole and branch epicormic shoots after moderate to intense fire.