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Who just added another annual ring?

By The Phytophactor on 2/28/2012 01:35:00 PM
This is ever so slightly belated, but Mondays are busy days, so hopefully Dr. Chips will forgive me for being late in wishing him another happy birthday.  In his honor my botany class studied secondary growth this week, and just now so much of their understanding was tangential that they just lumbered around the lab.  So cutting right to the heartwood of it, Dr. Chips has added another growth ring to his already considerable trunk, while continuing to slough off that used peridem, although on this occasion perhaps he pulled a cork or two.  And never should anyone imply he has any problem with turgor in advancing age, and for a fellow so blessed with a tomentum, he has nonetheless proven to be apically, rather than annually, deciduous.  Wonder what his reaction would be?  Happy Birthday, guy!  

1 comment:

Dr Chips said...

To the Phacter,

Thank you so much for your many kind words. It certainly seems true that my particular vascular cambium has been active this past decayed. Fortunately my periderm has remained exophyllactic, but perhaps a bit piliose.

I'm trying not to have a reaction to the wood in the photo you used to commerate my special day. It seems you are branching out of your normal area, perhaps in an attempt to slash your way into new fields of study? I hope you are not suggesting my wood is soft?? It could create tension between us.

But, old friends will tease, as it should be. The older the friend, the greater the tease. I welcome the sparring, and burn a candle for you that someday you will make the transition from growing plants to finding ways to actually use them for some useful purpose besides looking at their sexual parts. That's what the internet is for!

Dr. Chips

March 6, 2012 at 8:17 PM

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