RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FOLIATION OF PICEA-ABIES BY MEANS OF NEEDLE TRACES

In conifers the needles are connected to the pith by so-called needle traces, which elongate in accordance with the thickening of the shoot as long as the needles are alive. This study describes how to determin e in retrospect the early foliation of spruce which has already been s hed, by means of the needle traces found in the innermost column of th e trees. The actual foliation of the main axis and of the branches of young trees showed no significant difference. The number of needle tra ces in the main axis as compared with the number of needles actually c ounted on the same segments showed no significant difference either. T herefore, the needle-trace method appears to be applicable for reconst ructing the foliation of old spruce trees retrospectively.