I
( from
the Greek "thrix" meaning "hairs")
Aerial surface
hairs
There are several terms dealing whit trichomes the most basic are
glabrous (lacking hairs) and
pubescent (having hairs),
following some of the more common terms:
• Barbed: with terminal
or lateral retrorse projections,
each projection being a barb.
• Hair: Plant hairs may be
unicellular or
multicellular,
branched or
unbranched. Multicellular hairs
may have one or several layers of cells.
Branched hairs can be dendritic
(tree-like), tufted, or stellate
(star-shaped).
• Scale or
peltate hair: a plate or
shield-shaped cluster of cells attached directly to the surface or borne
on a stalk of some kind.
The surface appearance of
plant's organs, such as
stems and
leaves, are mainly characterized by
the presence of trichomes and many terms are used in reference to the
presence, form, and appearance of them.
See also:
Surface features,
Indumentum
The terms prickles
refer to outgrowths that involve more than the
epidermis. |
