| Abstract: | Periodicity of cambium activity, seasonal changes of the secondary phloem and longevity of sieve tube in main trunk of Dalbergia balansae Prain and in the twig of D. szemaoensis Prain were observed. The results are as follows: 1. All cambia fall under the category of storied type. 2. In D. balansae cambial activity begins in late April and ends in early November. Phloem differentiation is completed by early November. Xylem differentiation ceases in December. In D. szemaoensis cambial activity continues from mid-April to late October. Phloem and xylem differentiation ceases by late November. 3. The width of functional phloem zone is maximal (400—600 μm) in autumn and minimal (200—370 μm) in February to April. In overwintering, functional sieve tube elements contain P-protein, and the pores of sieve plate are open. It could be one of the reasons that these two species are promising host trees of Kerria yunnanensis during winter. 4. The longevity of sieve tubes in D. balansae and D. szemaoensis last 8—12 months and 9—11 months respectively. 5. During dormancy of cambium, the parenchyma cells of the secondary phloem contain large quantities of starch grains and calcium oxalate crystals, which decrease as cambium becomes active and remain little or even non visualized in summer. |
