Holzeigenschaften einer Steinbuche

Wood Properties of Fagus sylvatica var. quercoides

2003

16 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

4354

200099318

Fagus sylvatica var. quercoides is a rare mutant of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). The tree, commonly called "Steinbuche" (feely translated: rock beech), is characterised by deeply fissured bark similar to that of European oak (Quercus petraea L.). A first account of wood properties, based on a single stem, was published by Kirst in 1950. This stem revealed two concentric zones of straight (inner portion) and wavy (outher portion) grain, respectively, with very different technical properties. Ever since some ahtors considered the zonation as characteristic for this beech variant. The present study of a second "Steinbuche" tree shows no such zonation and, across the stem, wood properties do not differ significantly from those of normal beech. Hence, the very particular gross morphology of the bark is the only reliable criterion to separate a normal beech tree from its variant.