Comparative wood anatomy of stem, root and xylopodium of Brosimum gaudichaudii (Moraceae)

Although Brosimum gaudichaudii Trec. occurs in the Amazon and Atlantic forests, it is the only species of the genus Brosimum found in the Cerrado vegetation. Its roots contain high levels of psoralens. Compared with the wood of stems, the rootwood has more parenchyma and fibers with thinner walls. The stems and their respective piths were naturally 'grafted' into the xylopodium. Xylopodium wood has aberrant parenchyma zones and wood cells orientated in several directions. Xylopodium wood has a stem structure in the superior regions, but a root structure in the inferior parts. Furthermore, laticifers were found in xylopodium wood. Starch is present in the roots, but not in the stems, except for the two plants whose subterranean systems had signs of predatory attack.