Summary
The distribution of lignin in normal and tension wood of four hardwood species has been studied by examination in the electron microscope of the lignin skeletons remaining after removal of the polysaccharides with hydrofluoric acid. In normal wood fibers, the S1 had a higher lignin concentration than the S2 layer, which was not as highly lignified as in conifer tracheids. Vessels had a high concentration of lignin in both normal and tension wood, while the extent of lignification of the parenchyma was variable.
In tension wood fibers, the S1 and S2 layers were highly lignified. A thick, unlignified G-layer was often associated with an extremely thin S2 layer with a high concentration of lignin. In both normal and tension wood, the lignin had the same orientation as the cellulose micro-fibrils in the different cell wall layers. The results confirm the earlier conclusion that, in the species investigated, the same amount of lignin is present in gelatinous as in normal fibers. Evidently, the lignification mechanism operates normally in the non-gelatinous layers of the fibers, as well as in the vessels and in the parenchyma of tension wood.
Zusammenfassung
Die Ligninverteilung im Normalholz und im Druckholz von vier Laubhölzern wurde untersucht. Die Ligningerüste, die nach der Entfernung der Polysaccharide durch Fluorwasser-stoffsäure übrigblieben, wurden im Elektronenmikroskop beobachtet. In den Normalholzfasern hatte die S1-eine höhere Ligninkonzentration als die S2-Schicht, die weniger lignifiziert war als in den Koniferentracheiden. Die Gefäße hatten eine hohe Ligninkonzentration in sowohl Normal-als in Zugholz, während der Lignifizierungsgrad der Parenchymzellen variierte.
In den Zugholzfasern waren die S1- und S2-Schichten völlig lignifiziert. Eine dicke, unlignifizierte G-Schicht war oft mit einer außerordentlich dünnen S2-Schicht, die eine hohe Ligninkonzentration zeigte, verbunden. Sowohl im Normal- wie auch im Zugholz besaß das Lignin dieselbe Orientierung wie die Cellulosemikrofibrillen in den verschiedenen Zellwandschichten. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen den früheren Schluß, daß in den hier untersuchten Laubhölzern in den gelatinösen und in den normalen Fasern dieselbe Ligninmenge vorliegt. Offenbar läuft der Mechanismus der Lignifizierung in den S1- und S2-Schichten der gelatinösen Fasern des Zugholzes normal ab.
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This investigation was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, through Forest Service Research Grant No. 1, which is hereby gratefully acknowledged.
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Bentum, A.L.K., Côté, W.A., Day, A.C. et al. Distribution of lignin in normal and tension wood. Wood Science and Technology 3, 218–231 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00367213
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00367213