ENTRANCE OF WATER INTO SUBERIZED ROOTS OF TREES

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Abstract
Suberized roots of yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) and sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) were immersed in dye solns. under vacuum. Occurrence of dye in the bark was taken as evidence of entrance of water into the bark. Patches of dye could be traced to lenticels, breaks around branch roots, and wounds. Most dye was found in yellow poplar, least in shortleaf pine, which has few, if any, lenticels and an effective seal around branch roots. Results suggest that differences between kinds of trees as to capacity for absorption of water through suberized roots are attributable in part to anatomical characteristics of the bark.