# Wood Dna



## Nature Man (Jan 7, 2014)

To solidify wood identification, is there a lab or other source that runs DNA on wood samples? Just wondering... Chuck


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## Kevin (Jan 7, 2014)

I saw one of those crime episodes once where the investigator solved a murder by having the dna of a leaf found in the suspect's trunk and matched to a single tree where the investigator thought the car had been parked to dump the body. The leaf had fallen from the tree unto the trunk of the suspects car while he was dumping the body, thus putting him at the scene where the body had been dumped.

So wood dna is done somewhere but they did not mention the lab.

Reactions: Like 3


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## Mike1950 (Jan 7, 2014)

i think Phinds (Paul) told me about sending wood to the department of Ag. to get ID'd Somewhere I have a form but he probably knows more about it.


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## phinds (Jan 8, 2014)

As Mike mentioned, the Dept of Ag. has a free wood identification service, but as far as I'm aware, they do not use DNA, just microscopic examination on top of a huge amount of experience. They don't always get it and on very rare occasions they actually get it wrong, but they are your best bet. There's a link to them on my site.


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## Nature Man (Jan 8, 2014)

This is very helpful. Thanks! Chuck


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