Trunk (botany)

"Tree trunk" redirects here. For the song by The Doors, see Tree Trunk.

The base of a Yellow Birch trunk

Monocot Trunk: In this case, of a Roystonea regia palm specimen. Note the distinctive bulge, circular leaf scars and fibrous roots.

The left side of this trunk bark has fallen off due to sun damage that killed tissue, leaving a weakness in the trunk. Notice how the tree is growing over the wound and will eventually encompass it.

In botany, trunk (or bole) refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the roots. The trunk is covered by the bark, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the trunk to the top, depending on the species. The trunk is the most important part of the tree for timber production. Trunks occur both in "true" woody plants as well as non-woody plants such as palms and other monocots though the internal physiology is different in each case. In all plants, trunks thicken over time due to formation of secondary growth (pseudo-secondary growth in monocots).

Trunks can be vulnerable to damage, including sunburn.

See also

• Logging
• Plant leaves
• Plant stem
• Wood

External links

• Inside a tree trunk from University of the Western Cape