"Tree" isn't a biological definition. It's a descriptive term for "a tall plant with at least one rigid central trunk." Which means that anything that looks like a tree is probably a tree, regardless of species.
A local park ranger I know likes to remark that our state tree is a grass. (I'm in Florida.)
But I'd say that's also inaccurate. IMO, grasses are in the family Poaceae, and palms are in the family Arecaceae. I guess one could remark that our state tree is a commelinid...but I don't think tourists would get as much of a kick out of that.
Conifers aren't trees by this definition. It seems to completely ignore gymnosperms and even misclassified a couple as dicots like sequoias and junipers.
We need to stop looking for a scientifically coherent category for a tree and ,like fish, embrace the true, intuitive, childlike definition of it as just a form, a trunk with leaves at the top.
If I remember correctly, wood consists mainly of cellulose, lignin, and hemi-cellulose. I don't know about bamboo, but I guess it's some kind of woody material.
Okay, and raspberries aren't technically berries at all, but aggregate fruits. In other words, so the fuck what? When you say 'coconut tree', everyone knows what plant you're referring to.
41 Comments
Etterra@lemmy.world · 100 pts · 2y
"Tree" isn't a biological definition. It's a descriptive term for "a tall plant with at least one rigid central trunk." Which means that anything that looks like a tree is probably a tree, regardless of species.
caseyweederman@lemmy.ca · 26 pts · 2y
I am a tree
cicadagen@ani.social · 12 pts · 2y
Ayy, welcome to the tree club!
caseyweederman@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 2y
shrieks TREE LAWWWWW
Klairabelle@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
TREEEEEESSSS THEY ARE UUUUSSSSSS
TheOakTree@lemm.ee · 6 pts · 2y
We welcome you to tree-hood, my fellow arbor
ICastFist@programming.dev · 3 pts · 2y
Do you get pollinated by birds and bees?
caseyweederman@lemmy.ca · 9 pts · 2y
That's personal
Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de · 90 pts · 2y
There's no such thing as a tree.
And as a QI fan, I feel compelled to add there's no such thing as a fish
Thorry84@feddit.nl · 32 pts · 2y
No such thing as a tree? So you mean all those binary trees I've been inverting have been a lie? My whole world is shattered.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml · 17 pts · 2y
dohpaz42@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 2y
You forgot about the myth of vegetables.
Etterra@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 2y
Except that yes there is. It's just not a scientific term. Same with fish.
fossilesque@mander.xyz · 8 pts · 2y
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz · 20 pts · 2y
A local park ranger I know likes to remark that our state tree is a grass. (I'm in Florida.)
But I'd say that's also inaccurate. IMO, grasses are in the family Poaceae, and palms are in the family Arecaceae. I guess one could remark that our state tree is a commelinid...but I don't think tourists would get as much of a kick out of that.
Dasus@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 2y
Halt! I'm here to check the expiry date of your facts!
criitz@reddthat.com · 5 pts · 2y
Neat read, thanks
Reddfugee42@lemmy.world · 45 pts · 2y
There's no widely-accepted scientific definition of a tree.
##PeopleCorrectingPeopleIncorrectly
Downcount@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 2y
Wait, what?
fossilesque@mander.xyz · 44 pts · 2y
Not_mikey@slrpnk.net · 26 pts · 2y
Conifers aren't trees by this definition. It seems to completely ignore gymnosperms and even misclassified a couple as dicots like sequoias and junipers.
We need to stop looking for a scientifically coherent category for a tree and ,like fish, embrace the true, intuitive, childlike definition of it as just a form, a trunk with leaves at the top.
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz · 12 pts · 2y
How many social credit points do I lose if I refer to bamboo products as "wood" outside of botany nerd circles?
fossilesque@mander.xyz · 7 pts · 2y
dogsoahC@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 2y
Nice.
ctenidium@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y
If I remember correctly, wood consists mainly of cellulose, lignin, and hemi-cellulose. I don't know about bamboo, but I guess it's some kind of woody material.
Seleni@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y
It’s the lack of lignin (bamboo uses silica as a strengthener) that sets it apart.
But bamboo is a grass, anyways.
ctenidium@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
Never doubted bamboo not being a grass. But I didn't know about the silica thing - that's really cool!! Thank you for telling this!
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz · 1 pts · 2y
Oh I see
ctenidium@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 2y
"Trees" have secondary growth while "palms" have primary growth. At least that is what I have been told in dendrology lectures.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_growth
FiskFisk33@startrek.website · 1 pts · 2y
not necessarily no
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree
FiskFisk33@startrek.website · 2 pts · 2y
true enough, that doesn't exclude them from being trees though.
NorthWestWind@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 2y
From the coco palm family!
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz · 8 pts · 2y
🎵 Ya ya ya ya ya 🎵
juliebean@lemm.ee · 17 pts · 2y
it looks like a tree and quacks like a tree though.
Reddfugee42@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 2y
Ironically, in this case, that literally means it's a tree
DumbAceDragon@sh.itjust.works · 14 pts · 2y
Trees are the plant version of crabs.
HelixDab2@lemm.ee · 13 pts · 2y
Okay, and raspberries aren't technically berries at all, but aggregate fruits. In other words, so the fuck what? When you say 'coconut tree', everyone knows what plant you're referring to.
robocall@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 2y
You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you 🌴🥥🍹
EleventhHour@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 2y
Da palm grows da coconut and turns da election around
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz · 9 pts · 2y
Time to post one of my favorite songs:
https://youtu.be/PKQPey6L42M
("Da Coconut Nut", by Ryan Cayabyab. This version is probably the one performed by his group, Smokey Mountain.)
This song reminds us that the coconut is not a nut; it is the fruit of the cocopalm.
Cadeillac@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 2y
You can tell it's an Aspen from the way it is
Button777777@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
Thats pretty neat!
JasonDJ@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 2y
I have literature right here that says otherwise.
Ahem..
"A told B, and B told C, I'll beat you to the top of the coconut tree."
big_slap@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
science has gone too far with this one!!
MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 2y