On Whitehead's cut vertex lemma (Q6110517)

Let \(F_{n}\) be a free group of finite rank \(n\geq 2\). Given a collection of conjugacy classes \(\mathcal{C}\) of elements of \(F_{n}\), expressed as cyclically reduced words in some free basis, one associates a star graph, which records the adjacency of letters of the free basis in cyclic words in \(\mathcal{C}\). A famous lemma of \textit{J. H. C. Whitehead} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (2) 41, 48--56 (1936; Zbl 0013.24801; JFM 62.0079.04); Ann. Math. (2) 37, 782--800 (1936; Zbl 0015.24804)] implies that if \(\mathcal{C}=\{x^{F_{n}}\}\), where \(x\) is an element of some free basis, then the star graph of \(\mathcal{C}\) is either disconnected or has a cut vertex. The purpose of the paper under review is to prove a cut vertex lemma for certain conjugacy classes of elements and convex-cocompact subgroups of groups acting cocompactly on trees with finitely generated edge stabilizers or equivalently of fundamental groups of finite graphs of groups with finitely generated edge groups.