tylose
Quick Summary
A tylosis is a balloon-like protrusion from a parenchyma cell that extends into a vessel element, blocking water movement. This structure is found in the secondary xylem of some plants, notably white oaks. The presence of tyloses in white oak wood makes it watertight, a desirable quality for applications like casks and shipbuilding, unlike red oak which lacks them.1
In woody plants, the secondary vascular system develops from the vascular cambium, which produces secondary xylem and phloem. This system contributes to the plant's growth in girth. Tyloses are a specific feature within this system that impacts the wood's properties.1
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angiospermSecondary vascular systemTyloses are balloonlike outgrowths of parenchyma cells that bulge through the circular bordered pits of vessel members and block water movement. The presence of tyloses in white oaks makes their wood watertight, which is why it is preferred in casks and shipbuilding to red oak,…
Read MoreTyloses are balloonlike outgrowths of parenchyma cells that bulge through the circular bordered pits of vessel members and block water movement. The presence of tyloses in white oaks makes their wood watertight, which is why it is preferred in casks and shipbuilding to red oak,…
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treeGrowth ring formationThe occlusions, called tyloses, may occur in the first year after vessel formation. The protoplast of an adjacent living cell proliferates through thin areas in the cell walls known as pits. Red oak (Quercus rubra) does not have tyloses, whereas white oak (Q. alba) does; this is why…
Read MoreThe occlusions, called tyloses, may occur in the first year after vessel formation. The protoplast of an adjacent living cell proliferates through thin areas in the cell walls known as pits. Red oak (Quercus rubra) does not have tyloses, whereas white oak (Q. alba) does; this is why…
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