Abstract

Compression wood in 10 Pinus radiata D. Don trees with lean smaller to 10° from two sites were characterized. The tracheid diameters of the trees of the humid sand site were statistically greater than those from the clay site; but they were not different when comparing juvenile wood with mature wood or to it compares compression wood with opposite wood. Significant differences were determined in the tracheid length between sites (humid sand-clay), type of wood (compression-opposite wood) and age (juvenilemature wood), were similar results with other authors. For coarseness non significant differences between sites, as well as between juvenile and mature wood and compression and opposite and agree and different from those of other authors who compare trees of different sites. The discrepancies and coincidences of these results with those of other authors are explained considering the behavior from the cellular dimensions of the earlywood and latewood wood and the differences between severe compression and mild compression wood. © 2007 Universidad del Bío-Bío.