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#1
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leaves of a tree
Hello,
does anybody know how many leaves trees are supposed to have? (in summer of course ;-) ) What is the maximum estimated number? What about trees with needles? How many needles can they have? Are there estimates about the leave "density" e.g. how many leaves per cubic meter? How does that differ between the different species? Thanks, daniel |
#2
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Do you have a bar bet running on the answer?
The instructions booklet is provided by the maker. "daniel" wrote in message om... Hello, does anybody know how many leaves trees are supposed to have? (in summer of course ;-) ) What is the maximum estimated number? What about trees with needles? How many needles can they have? Are there estimates about the leave "density" e.g. how many leaves per cubic meter? How does that differ between the different species? Thanks, daniel |
#3
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does anybody know how many leaves trees are supposed to have?
I hope this isn't a troll question, but serious curiosity. There is no specific number. It depends on species, location, and many other factors. The larger the tree, the more leaves it will have. Generally, a tree with large leaves, like a sycamore, will have fewer of them. The same species in shade will have fewer & larger leaves than in sun. At one extreme, Welwitschia mirabilis, a primitive conifer from Africa, has only two leaves its entire life, which may be 2000 years. The same two leaves keep growing from the base as they wear out on the end. At the other extreme, there are trees that grow in the desert or the far north, both conifers and flowering trees, like Junipers and Tamarisks, which have thousands of tiny scale leaves or needles you couldn't begin to count. If a tree is healthy and growing, you can assume it has as many leaves as it should. Iris, Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40 "If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming train." Robert Lowell (1917-1977) |
#5
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"Cereus-validus" wrote in
: "daniel" wrote in message om... Hello, does anybody know how many leaves trees are supposed to have? (in summer of course ;-) ) What is the maximum estimated number? What about trees with needles? How many needles can they have? Are there estimates about the leave "density" e.g. how many leaves per cubic meter? How does that differ between the different species? Thanks, daniel Do you have a bar bet running on the answer? The instructions booklet is provided by the maker. (top posting corrected) It actually looks more like a homework question. Sean |
#6
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#7
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Actually, by definition, Welwitschia is a tree because it has a single
unbranched woody trunk!!!! That it has only two leaves is besides the point. "Sean Houtman" wrote in message news:1095194978.hNTEkItUsoX/iqppnCe+QA@teranews... (Iris Cohen) wrote in : does anybody know how many leaves trees are supposed to have? I hope this isn't a troll question, but serious curiosity. There is no specific number. It depends on species, location, and many other factors. The larger the tree, the more leaves it will have. Generally, a tree with large leaves, like a sycamore, will have fewer of them. The same species in shade will have fewer & larger leaves than in sun. At one extreme, Welwitschia mirabilis, a primitive conifer from Africa, has only two leaves its entire life, which may be 2000 years. The same two leaves keep growing from the base as they wear out on the end. At the other extreme, there are trees that grow in the desert or the far north, both conifers and flowering trees, like Junipers and Tamarisks, which have thousands of tiny scale leaves or needles you couldn't begin to count. If a tree is healthy and growing, you can assume it has as many leaves as it should. Iris, Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40 "If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming train." Robert Lowell (1917-1977) Welwitschia isn't a tree, but... An important factor in counting the number of leaves on a tree is time of year. Since Daniel is posting in fairly decent English, he is likely in a north temperate area. If he would wait till some time in December, the easy answer to his question would often be 'none'. However, a quick scan and guess of the 25 year old mulberry tree outside my window looks like perhaps about 50 thousand leaves. I would expect that a large Giant redwood would have several million leaves. Sean |
#8
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An important factor in counting the number of leaves on a tree is
time of year. Since Daniel is posting in fairly decent English, he Thanks for the flowers. is likely in a north temperate area. If he would wait till some time in December, the easy answer to his question would often be 'none'. However, a quick scan and guess of the 25 year old mulberry tree outside my window looks like perhaps about 50 thousand leaves. I would expect that a large Giant redwood would have several million leaves. I thought about giving the background of my question when opening the thread but I decided not to do it, due to the fact that I wanted more biological oriented answers. Beside the fact that I was simply curious if there exist reasonable estimates about the maximum amount of leaves/needles of trees my focus was on realistic graphical representation of trees. Most tress I have seen in computergraphics are among the poorest objects. A good representation could aim to draw at least one triangle per leave and let them swing in the wind. I am pretty sure that nobody ever "counted" the leaves of large trees, but there should be reasonable estimates for their amount. e.g. collect all the leaves in autumn for a standalone tree and weigh them. Maybe some inside bilogical knowhow as described in one of the threads could help. Up to now I have seen some guesses. Isn't there some scientific work about this topic? How is the amount of the oxygen/carbon dioxid turnover estimated? Wouldn't it make sense to have some O_2 capacity estimate for leaves of different trees? thanks for your posts, daniel |
#9
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"Cereus-validus" wrote in
. com: Welwitschia isn't a tree, but... An important factor in counting the number of leaves on a tree is time of year. Since Daniel is posting in fairly decent English, he is likely in a north temperate area. If he would wait till some time in December, the easy answer to his question would often be 'none'. However, a quick scan and guess of the 25 year old mulberry tree outside my window looks like perhaps about 50 thousand leaves. I would expect that a large Giant redwood would have several million leaves. Actually, by definition, Welwitschia is a tree because it has a single unbranched woody trunk!!!! That it has only two leaves is besides the point. Odd definition, most definitions of trees include some means of distinguishing them from shrubs, generally height. Do you mean to imply that if a woody plant has branches on the trunk, or more than one trunk, that it must not be a tree? If so, there aren't very many species that manage to be trees. Sean |
#11
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Sean Houtman wrote:
generally height. So.. all bonsai are shrubs? Sorry.. couldn't resist.. |
#12
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If you look at most pictures of Welwitschia, it doesn't look much like a tree.
It looks like the stuff you throw in the garbage after you made the salad. However, Two thirds of the trunk of a Welwitschia is underground. The two permanent leaves grow out of the top, and the cones appear between them. Since it has a permanent woody trunk, I believe it fits the definition of a tree. Look, it works. Some Welwitschias are 1500 to 2000 years old. Iris, Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40 "If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming train." Robert Lowell (1917-1977) |
#13
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As Iris has already pointed out, the definition of what constitutes a tree
has absolutely nothing to do with height, number of leaves or number of branches at all. Most trees obviously do have branches arising from the trunk but not the base. Mulberries are actually trees not shrubs because they have a single main woody trunk. They do not branch primarily from the base as do shrubs. I suppose if you actually bothered to look up the definitions of the terms in a botanical dictionary it would boggle your mind and incorrect preconceived notions. There are actually many more tree species found around the world than you will see sitting behind your 'puter looking out your window. Try going out into the real world. You might actually learn something on your own. "Sean Houtman" wrote in message news:1095655795.vHDg1ppMHVISnXQw36/VQw@teranews... "Cereus-validus" wrote in . com: Welwitschia isn't a tree, but... An important factor in counting the number of leaves on a tree is time of year. Since Daniel is posting in fairly decent English, he is likely in a north temperate area. If he would wait till some time in December, the easy answer to his question would often be 'none'. However, a quick scan and guess of the 25 year old mulberry tree outside my window looks like perhaps about 50 thousand leaves. I would expect that a large Giant redwood would have several million leaves. Actually, by definition, Welwitschia is a tree because it has a single unbranched woody trunk!!!! That it has only two leaves is besides the point. Odd definition, most definitions of trees include some means of distinguishing them from shrubs, generally height. Do you mean to imply that if a woody plant has branches on the trunk, or more than one trunk, that it must not be a tree? If so, there aren't very many species that manage to be trees. Sean |
#14
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Oh look, isn't that Sean out in the aviary stunting trees?
Are you done waxing the car already? Remember: Right hand - wax on. Left hand - wacks off!!! "Zeitkind" wrote in message ... Sean Houtman wrote: generally height. So.. all bonsai are shrubs? Sorry.. couldn't resist.. |
#15
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most definitions of trees include some means of
distinguishing them from shrubs, generally height. The one I am familiar with is that a shrub is a woody plant which is usually under ten feet tall & has multiple stems. A tree is usually over ten feet tall & usually has a single stem. What about dwarf trees which are way under ten feet tall & might have multiple trunks, like a dwarf birch? I would assume if the standard plant is a tree, the dwarf form is also called a tree. Tsuga canadensis 'Minuta' is still a tree, albeit 3" tall. Iris, Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40 "If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming train." Robert Lowell (1917-1977) |
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