Trunk (botany)

In botany, trunk (or bole) refers to the main wooden axis of a tree, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the trunk to the top, depending on the species. The trunk is the most important part of the tree for timber production.

Trunks occur both in "true" woody plants as well as non-woody plants such as palms and other monocots, though the internal physiology is different in each case. In all plants, trunks thicken over time due to formation of secondary growth (or in monocots, pseudo-secondary growth). Trunks can be vulnerable to damage, including sunburn. Trunks which are cut down in logging are generally called logs and if cut to a specific length bolts.

Raft of timber logs

Raft of timber logs

Cross section of a hazel bole

Cross section of a hazel bole

Log being decomposed by bracket fungi

Log being decomposed by bracket fungi

See also

Tree Trunk

"Tree Trunk" is a song recorded and released in 1972 by The Doors.

"Tree Trunk" was recorded by the surviving members of The Doors as they assembled material for their second and final album, Full Circle, following the death of Jim Morrison. "Tree Trunk" was released as B-side for the "Get Up and Dance" single released by Elektra Records in July 1972, and was thus on the penultimate Doors single release.

Non-album track

"Tree Trunk" is one of only three non-album B-sides to be released by the Doors. The other two are "Who Scared You" (the B-side of "Wishful Sinful", issued on Elektra in May 1969) and "(You Need Meat) Don't Go No Further" (the B-side of "Love Her Madly" on Elektra in March 1971), both of which appeared on the compilation album Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine.

Releases

Writer Robby Krieger felt "it sounded too commercial", and the track was left off the album.

Until 2010, the only commercial release of "Tree Trunk" was the 1972 45 rpm single release. As a result the song is one of the rarest and least known by The Doors. Videos of the 45 being played are available on YouTube.