Juvenile wood - for the sake of science get the terminology and concepts straight!

Authors: Rowland D. Burdon
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2015, Issue N.Z.J.For. 60(1) 2015, pp 44, May 2015
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

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Abstract: I have read with interest two articles in the February issue (Vol. 59, No. 4) of this journal by John Moore and Dave Cown (Wood quality variability - what is it, what are the consequences and what can we do about it?) and Dave Cown and Leslie Dowling (Juvenile wood and its implications). I note with concern an inconsistency between the terminology used in the respective articles, the first using the term ‘corewood’ (for the inner growth rings versus ‘outerwood’ for the outer rings), whereas the second refers to ‘juvenile wood’ (versus ‘mature wood’). This latter usage has been traditional, but it is scientifically at odds with what is now understood about the botanical phenomenon of maturation, and it is inconsistent with the terminology used in the first article.

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