Tree Bark ID please

[pheasant]

Could it be that someone with a knowledgable eye can tell me which tree owns the bark shown in this picture?

All I can tell you is that I found it as a fallen branch in woodland in the Cotswolds.

[The Woodman]

It looks a tad like ash to me from the angular striations and colour but don't worry, there'll be an expert along in a minute......

[hobble]

I am no expert..........!!!
But I think it may be a young Ash tree.
Any other suggestions?

[pheasant]

Thanks to each of you for your suggestions. I've done some checking of my own, based upon what you both agree on, and I am inclined to agree that this really is from the Ash tree. The trouble is that I am still not certain.

It's a shame that Mother Nature didn't think to sprout a lable or two.

I have tried talking to the trees in order to ascertain identity, and I once discovered a tree which called itself, Reginald. But this made no sense to me. I did some local research and sure enough, my doubts were confirmed. According to a knowledgable woodsman, the tree in question was a Birch. He said, "You've got to watch those Birches. They are terrible liars. His real name is Bernard."

[metalfish]

Snap your branch and look it end on, if there is a central spot (a centermetre'ish in size) that is paler & slightly softer than the rest of the wood then it is most definatly ash--learnt from many years of collecting wood for my wood burner.

[pheasant]

Originally Posted by metalfish

Snap your branch and look it end on, if there is a central spot (a centermetre'ish in size) that is paler & slightly softer than the rest of the wood then it is most definatly ash--learnt from many years of collecting wood for my wood burner.

Thanks for the info. Definitely worth noting for future woodland excursions. However, this tends to rule out the idea that my piece of timber is Ash. It doesn't conform with your description. I wonder if the size (age) may have any effect on your advice. The piece of branch I have is nearly 5" thick. It is 30" long and very heavy, with tight growth rings - about 16 in all.

Since cutting it, I have noticed that the wood has quite quickly oxidised into a pale pink colour. Does that give any clues?

[treecreeper]

Not totally relevant here but the January 2004 Field Mycologist has a guide to identifying trees just from the wood, mainly by looking at a broken-off end. The tests for ash are:

1. Wood white or pale coloured, not yellow.
2. Medullary rays (i.e. radial striations) barely visible to the naked eye.
3. Twig buds more or less opposite
4. 'Ring porous'

The fourth test refers to the minute pin-holes visible in the end-grain (hand lens recommended). These holes are the ends of water-conducting tubes. In 'ring porous' wood they occur concentrically with the annual rings.

[pheasant]

Originally Posted by treecreeper

Not totally relevant here but the January 2004 Field Mycologist has a guide to identifying trees just from the wood, mainly by looking at a broken-off end. The tests for ash are:

1. Wood white or pale coloured, not yellow.
2. Medullary rays (i.e. radial striations) barely visible to the naked eye.
3. Twig buds more or less opposite
4. 'Ring porous'

The fourth test refers to the minute pin-holes visible in the end-grain (hand lens recommended). These holes are the ends of water-conducting tubes. In 'ring porous' wood they occur concentrically with the annual rings.

Thank you, treecreeper. I can tell you that all of the above characteristics are present in my piece of wood. This test has produced the definitive answer.

Can you tell me how to get hold of the guide you mention? It sound very useful.

[treecreeper]

Pheasant, you get the magazine as part of your membership of the British Mycological Society (BMS). It's published by Elsevier on behalf of the BMS. Elsevier is based in the Netherlands and their email address is

nlinfo-f@elsevier.com

Their address is

Elsevier
Customer Service Department
PO Box 211
1000 AE Amsterdam
The Netherlands
phone (+31) (20) 4853757
fax (+31) (20) 4853432

Hope you can make sense out of those telephone numbers. I hate telephones.

If you want to avoid Johnny Foreigner I have the email address of the editorial panel:

FieldMycol@yahoo.co.uk

Hope you can get somewhere with one of these....but I think you will have to go to Elsevier. The quoted price for a year's subscription is £22 (30 euros). That's for four issues which should give you an idea what you might expect to pay for a back issue if one is available.

Before you go to too much trouble trying to get the January 2004 (= Volume 5(1)) edition; the author does say at the introduction of the key: 'The following key is offered as 'better than nothing'. It has been adapted from an old Forest Products Research Bulletin, designed for timber-yard use where sound clean wood is assumed'.

[pheasant]

Hello Treecreeper,

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, to thank you for the trouble you have taken in supplying me with the information I asked for.

I've been rather preoccupied with other, time-consuming matters.

I am grateful for the info, and spent some time checking it out. But I think you are right when you say, 'The following key is offered as 'better than nothing'..

Now that the Spring is here (somewhere), I think my best bet will be to get hold of a good book, which gives a more general description of trees. One which I can use for identification purposes, leaves an' all, etc. and then take photographs and notes of tree barks, that I can use in times of uncertainty during the Winter months.

Just want to say that I appreciate everyone's input on this one. I believe that the combined effort has produced the right answer.

Cheers all,

Pheasant.