Trichomas: What are, function and types

The trichomes are Appendices that leave plant organismsand that popularly are called Pelillos. There are other bumps that can leave plants, but only those who come out of The epidermis. For example, rose thorns come from subepidermis, so they do not classify as trichomes. They can have trichomes plants, algae, lichens and protists.

Trichomas have different functions and some are:

• They defend against attacks of herbivorous feed insects that want to eat the plant, because they are uncomfortable to touch. They can even defend against larger predators, when trichomes are rigid and long enough to affect them.
• Allow the plant to absorb water. Among the trichomes water can be lodged, being particularly beneficial in dry areas.
• In certain species They absorb nutrients.
• Help Plant adapts to your environment.
• Secret salts and sugars.
• They can secrete Essential oils.
• They function as sun protectionprotecting burns and dehydration.
• They can be hivesreleasing toxic and irritating substances over who attacks the plant. These substances are injected by the trichoma that is like a needle.
• In a lot of wind, the trichomes They stop the wind that hits plants reducing perspiration and loss of water.
• In carnivorous plants, they secrete Proteolytic substances that decompose animals nitrogened molecules to assimilate them. Here you can read about how carnivorous plants feed.

The structure, form, position and even thickness of a trichoma is an answer to the environment, because they serve as adaptation to be functional in it. This presence or absence of trichomes and its form helps to determine its taxonomic position, that is, it helps to know what origin and phylogenetic relationship has, in addition to facilitating its identification. We now present the different types of trichomes that exist.

First classification of trichomes

It is done based on whether trichomes are connected to a gland or not.

• Glandular trichomes: They have a secretory gland with which they can release substances resulting from metabolic processes, aimed at fulfilling functions in particular for the benefit of the plant. They are the least frequent trichomes, and only 30% of the plants with trichomes have them of this type. Some of the substances that secrete can be flavonoids, terpenoid, ketones, or phenylpropanoids.
• Non -glandular or eglandular trichomes: They are what have mechanical and non -chemical function, because they do not release any substance. In general, the function is protection against surrounding stressors.

Second classification of trichomes

According to the amount of cells that form the trichomes.

• Unicellular trichomes: formed by a single cell.
• Pluricellular trichomes: Formed by more than one cell, accommodating several to form the trichoma.

Third classification of trichomes

According to the form, trichomes receive different names, which are:

• Hair: They are long and in the form of a strand.
• CILIO: They are short and rigid.
• Scale: They are laminar trichomes.

Within the form, they can also be classified descriptively according to their morphology. Some examples of this are:

• Simple: They are straight trichomes.
• Ramified: They branch from different levels, such as a branch.
• Lanososo: They are the ones that completely cover the surface.
• Starry: They are the ones that have several branches that start from a point, such as star.

Fourth classification of trichomes

According to its location, there are trichomes:

• Abaxial: When they are located at the bottom of the sheet.
• Adaxial: They are the ones that grow at the top of the structure.

Fifth classification of trichomes

If you want to classify by quantity and density, some examples of types are:

• Hirsute: When there are many and rough.
• Glabrado: that is to say that it lacks trichomes.
• HISPIDO: With brush bristles.
• Strigo: When the trichomes are long and rigid, pointing to the same place and maintaining the same margin of growth.

As we review, the functions and structures of the trichomes are very variable and this responds to the needs of each organisms. To better understand this subject, we present some examples of organisms that have trichomes.

• Spirulina (Arthrospira spp.): This is a cyanobacteria currently consumed as food supplement. They have multicellular trichomes in propeller, and only appear when they are in a liquid. In this post you can read about spirulina: what is, properties and benefits.
• Cape Carnivorous Plant (Drosera capensis): It has very long red trichomes, of which a sticky proteolytic substance that uses to capture dams such as bees, flies or any flying insect, in addition to starting to degrade them to ingest them. This is an example of glandular trichomes.
• Ortiga (Urtica spp.): This plant is popular because the rubbing of the skin causes severe irritation. This is because the trichomes are glandular and release within the histamine, acetylcholine and serotonin skin, causing the aforementioned reaction. Here you can read about the Ortiga: Properties, what it is for and contraindications.
• Some cactus without thorns: They have these hairs or trichomes instead of spiny structures, they are those that seem soft, as with whitish hair. Know more about cactus without thorns here.

After learning all this about what trichomes are, we encourage you to continue discovering details about vegetables and read here about the parts of a plant and their functions.

If you want to read more articles similar to Trichomas: What are, function and typeswe recommend that you enter our biology category.