Wood's Vessel Elements Can Be Rectangular.
All articles by Wretch Fossil are here: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/lin440315&category_id=0
I asked both Google and ChatGPT: can vessel elements be rectangular?
While it is often claimed in general summaries or online sources that vessel elements are typically round or oval in cross-section, detailed wood anatomy studies reveal that vessel elements can indeed appear rectangular or polygonal when sectioned transversely. This is particularly true in tightly packed hardwood tissues where multiple vessels grow in close proximity, constrained by surrounding fibers, parenchyma, or other cells.
Vessel element morphology depends heavily on species, environmental conditions, and developmental constraints. Although circular or oval outlines are common in isolated or loosely packed vessels, rectangular or angular profiles may emerge in dense clusters, especially in earlywood or ring-porous woods. Furthermore, mineralization or fossilization can alter the original geometry, exaggerating angularity.
Several reputable microscopy atlases and textbooks (e.g., Carlquist’s wood anatomy studies and the IAWA Hardwood List) illustrate diverse vessel cross-sections. Anatomical images of woods such as Quercus (oak), Ulmus (elm), and certain tropical hardwoods display vessel elements with distinctly polygonal to rectangular boundaries. These are not imaging artifacts but true anatomical features.
Therefore, while circular forms dominate educational illustrations, real-world biology—especially under fossilization or high cellular packing—permits rectangular cross-sections of vessel elements. It is biologically plausible and well-documented in the wood anatomy literature.
Wretch Fossil’s website:http://wretchfossil.blogspot.com/
Source: https://wretchfossil.blogspot.com/2025/09/rectangular-vessel-elements-in-wood.html
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