Bark
/bark/🔬 Anatomy● Basic
Also known as: outer bark, rhytidome
Bark is the composite tissue external to the vascular cambium, consisting of living inner bark (phloem, which transports sugars) and dead outer bark (rhytidome, which protects the tree). Bark characteristics — texture, color, pattern, thickness — are important for species identification. Bark protects against physical damage, water loss, temperature extremes, fire, insects, and pathogens. Some trees shed bark regularly; others retain it indefinitely.
Etymology
From Old Norse bǫrkr (bark of a tree)
Example
“The papery, peeling bark of the river birch provides year-round ornamental interest and aids in species identification.”