Safranine Penetration Path Observed by Optical Microscope in Four Korean Pine Wood Species

Optical microscope was used to observe the difference of safranine penetration in Pinus densiflora, Pinus rigida, Pinus koraiensis and Larix kaempferi grown in Korea. It was found that Pinus koraiensis contained the highest number of ray parenchyma and ray tracheids. In longitudinal direction, latewood penetration was found higher than that of earlywood. The number of resin canals was found highest in Pinus koraiensis and lowest in Pinus rigida. The resin canal conducted safranine higher than longitudinal tracheids. In longitudinal direction, safranine diffused from longitudinal tracheid to ray parenchyma through the cross-field pits and from the longitudinal resin canal to ray parenchyma or longitudinal tracheid. Safranine diffused from longitudinal tracheid to its neighboring tracheid through bordered pit or ray parenchyma through the cross-field pits.