Gymnosperm Wood Generic Comparison

Pinaceae

I. Pinus  (Pine)*

	A. Color
. 		1. Reddish-brown- Soft Pines
	     	2. Yellowish-golden-reddish-brown - Hard Pines
	B. Texture
		1. Smooth-Intermediate 
	C. Figure
		1. Even/uneven- Soft Pines
		2. Uneven - Hard Pines
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Obscure
	E. Hardness
		1. Soft - Soft Pines
		2. Hard - Hard Pines
	F. Density
		1. Light - Soft Pines
		2. Heavy - Hard Pines
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Gradual - Soft Pines
		2. Abrupt - Hard Pines
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Uniseriate
		2. Some opposite - Hard Pines
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Smooth - Soft Pines
		2. Dentate (Medium or Reticulate)- Hard Pines
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. 1-3 Large or 1-6 Pinoid- Soft Pines
		2. 1-6 Pinoid - Hard Pines
	K. Resin Canals
		1. Thin epithelial cell walls
	L. Resinous odo


II. Picea (Spruce)*
	A. Color
		1. Whitish-yellowish-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Smooth-Intermediate
	C. Figure
		1. Even
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Distinct
	E. Hardness
		1. Soft
	F. Density
		1. Light
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Gradual
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Uniseritate
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Smooth-Minute Dendations
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Piceoid, Taxodioid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. 7-12 thick walled epithelial cells
	L. Ray parenchyma
		1. Well pitted horizontal walls
		2. Nodular end walls
		3. Indentures
		4. Crystals
	M. Spiral thickening in spring wood tracheids
	N. Lustrou


III. Pseudotsuga (Douglas Fir)*
	A. Color
		1. Reddish-yellowish-orangish-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Intermediate
	C. Figure
		1. Uneven
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Obscure
	E. Hardness
		1. Hard
	F. Density
		1. Heavy
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Abrupt
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Opposite
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Smooth, may have spiral thickenings
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Piceoid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. 5-6 thick walled epithelial cells
	L. Ray parenchyma
		1. Well pitted horizontal walls
		2. Nodular end walls
		3. Indentures
	M. Axial tracheids
		1. Spiral thickenings
	N. Axial Parenchyma present
		1. Nodular end wall


IV. Larix (Larch/Tamarack)*
	A. Color
		1. Yellowish-reddish-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Smooth
	C. Figure
		1. Uneven
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Obscure
	E. Hardness
		1. Hard
	F. Density
		1. Heavy
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Abrupt
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Opposite
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Smooth
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Piceoid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. 7-12 thick walled epithelial cells
		2. Eccentrically placed in rays
	L. Ray parenchyma
		1. Well pitted horizontal walls
		2. Nodular end walls
		3. Indentures
	M. Axial parenchyma
		1. Nodular end walls
	N. Spiral thickenings in spring woo


V.  Tsuga (Fir)
	A. Color
		1. Yellowish-reddish-purplish-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Smooth
	C. Figure
		1. Uneven
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Obscure
	E. Hardness
		1. Hard
	F. Density
		1. Light
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Abrupt-Gradual
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Opposite
		2. Strap like extension on torus
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Smooth
	J. Cross field Pits
		1.Cupressoid-Taxodioid-Piceoid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. Absent
	L. Ray Parenchyma
		1. Well Pitted Horizontal Walls
		2. Nodular End Walls
		3. Indentures
		4. Often contain resin
	M. Axial Parenchyma
		1. Nodular end wall


VI. Abies (Fir)
	A. Color
		1. Whitish-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Intermediate
	C. Figure
		1. Uneven
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Obscure
	E. Hardness
		1. Soft
	F. Density
		1. Light
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Gradual
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Opposite
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Absent
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Taxodioid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. Absent
	L. Ray Parenchyma
		1. Well pitted horizontal walls
		2. Nodular end walls
		3. Indentures
		4. >30 cells high
		5. Crystals
	M. Axial Parenchyma
		1. Nodular end walls
	N. Tastes salt


Cupressaceae
I. Thuja (Cedar)
	A. Color
		1. Yellowish-golden-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Smooth
	C. Figure
		1. Even
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Obscure
	E. Hardness
		1. Hard
	F. Density
		1. Light
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Gradual
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Uniseriate
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Absent
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Taxodioid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. Absent
	L. Axial Parenchyma
		1. Nodular end walls
	M. Ray Parenchyma
		1. Nodular end walls
	N. Aromatic Odor 
	O. Bitter Tast


II. Juniperus (Eastern Red Cedar)*
	A. Color
		1. Reddish-Purplish-Brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Smooth
	C. Figure
		1. Uneven
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Obscure
	E. Hardness
		1. Hard
	F. Density
		1. Heavy
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Abrupt
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Uniseriate
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Absent
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Cupressoid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. Absent
	L. Ray Parenchyma
		1. Nodular End Walls
		2. Indentures
	M. Axial Parenchyma
		1. Abundant (>5 cells/ mm^2)
		2. Nodular end walls
	N. Aromatic odo


III. Taxodium (Bald Cypress)*
	A. Color
		1. Yellowish-reddish-blackish-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Rough
		2. Greasy
	C. Figure
		1. Uneven
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Distinct
	E. Hardness
		1. Hard
	F. Density
		1. Heavy
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Abrupt
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Opposite
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Absent
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Cupressoid and Taxodioid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. Absent
	L. Ray Parenchyma 
		1. 15-60 cells high
	M. Axial Parenchyma
		1. Abundant (>5 cells/mm^2)
		2. Nodular end walls
		3. Resin
	N. Unpleasant odo


IV.  Sequoia (Redwood)*
	A. Color
		1. Reddish-brown
.	B. Texture
		1. Rough
	C. Figure
		1. Uneven
	D. Macroscopic Ray Visibility
		1. Distinct
	E. Hardness
		1. Soft
	F. Density
		1. Light
	G. Spring to Summer Wood Transition
		1. Abrupt
	H. Pit arrangement
		1. Opposite
		2. Notched borders
		3. Torus extensions
	I. Ray Tracheids
		1. Absent
	J. Cross field Pits
		1. Taxodioid
	K. Resin Canals
		1. Absent
	L. Ray Parenchyma
		1. Large cells with thickened corners
		2. Often biseriate
		3. <= 12 cells high, > 30 cells high
	M. Axial Parenchyma
		1. Abundant (>5 cells/mm^2)
		2. Nodular end walls
	N. Lustrous