Question
I am a court reporter and took a deposition of a tree removal man and he said the word (phonetic) insivianvaculosis to mean a hollow tree.  he doesn't know how to spell it or even if he was pronouncing it right?  is there anything close to this word?  help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer
Let me tell you up front I am Not a fan of "tree removal men" who are not foresters telling homeowner how to deal with their trees. I have never heard of this word--and I am always suspicious of folks using "large words" when they can not spell them or pronounce them. Compartmentalization is a word that is used when talking about hollow trees.

Here is some information on a hollow tree.
The heartwood consists of the growth rings in the center of the trunk. They are aged sapwood and thus form part of the Xylem. They tend to have a darker color than the sapwood, because they no longer transport any water and are therefore much drier, and they tend to be clogged up with gums, resins and other substances, depending on tree species. Because they are no longer taking part in the trees vital processes, they can be said to be 'dead wood'.
A hollow tree is a tree where the heartwood, which has less resistance to rot than the living parts, has gradually decayed away. Surprisingly, this makes no difference to the vigor of the tree and may even enhance it ability to stand up to severe gales, due to the immense strength of a tubular structure. So it is important to realize that a tree with decaying heartwood is NOT a decaying tree! It is a natural process in many older trees and makes them all the more valuable as a habitat for many different forms of wildlife.