collection de bois

CONT: Research into wood properties has been conducted at Oxford for over 50 years and the wood collection or xylarium now holds over 24,750 wood samples. They represent approximately 8,700 species, 2,350 genera and 200 families. Microscope slides have been prepared for much of the collection, and the anatomical characteristics of every wood recorded on edge-punched cards. The collection of cards constitutes a key for the identification of hardwoods by their microscopic structure. It is used for taxonomic research and the identification of unknown specimens. [Research Reports from the Oxford Forestry Institute (OFI) of the University of Oxford]