Living 'Burl'

[MAPLEMAN]

I came across a Rose gum stump at home here 3 years ago..it had been left by a local sawmill (butt log was scarfed just above burl) that had been here harvesting hardwood trees 3-4 years earlier,and stands about 1.8m tall x 1m + wide..when i first came across it,i thought it odd because even though it had no leaves,it seemed alive and green just under the bark...and almost a complete burl...anyway,went for a walk today and came across it again...and it is still alive without leaves,branches..just a 6 ft trunk of living burl..i'm thinking the bark must be photosynthetic...there are other Rose gum stumps around it that are now in a state of decay,but not this thing ...will post pics tomorrow..it is a wild bit of burly butt log..MM

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Many of the gum barked euc species photosynthesise through the bark. If you bump a Blue Gum for example, it will show a clear green scar, indicating a good chlorophyll layer under the shiny bark surface. I don't know how much of the tree's needs are met that way and am surprised that it doesn't have some leafy shoots. Are you sure that some "saplings" nearby are not shoots from a lignotuber of the same tree? I don't even know if E. grandis forms lignotubers but many eucs do and that could be an explanation.

[MAPLEMAN]

Many of the gum barked euc species photosynthesise through the bark. If you bump a Blue Gum for example, it will show a clear green scar, indicating a good chlorophyll layer under the shiny bark surface. I don't know how much of the tree's needs are met that way and am surprised that it doesn't have some leafy shoots. Are you sure that some "saplings" nearby are not shoots from a lignotuber of the same tree? I don't even know if E. grandis forms lignotubers but many eucs do and that could be an explanation.

No saplings,leaves,nothing..the pics will show you what i mean,its quite strange ...it is growing in low light levels too..MM

[MAPLEMAN]

Many of the gum barked euc species photosynthesise through the bark..

Gadaga gum(Torelliana) would have to be a candidate as well..MM

[MAPLEMAN]

Some pics as promised...no leaves,stems,nothing ...yet it is very much alive...MM

[Xanthorrhoeas]

How far away is it from the tree shown in the second last photo? I am wondering whether they have a root connection. Trees can sometimes join and share sap both aerially and also below the ground if roots cross and connect together. Only maybe ... but there has to be something to explain it. Trees need photosynthesis to survive and that "stocking" bark would restrict that considerably so that suggets there must be some other source of nutrients.

[MAPLEMAN]

How far away is it from the tree shown in the second last photo?

About 3 metres...the heartwood of the stump still firm without degrade,the 'stocking' bark still green and growing...i can't explain whats happening,as have never seen anything like it before..MM