Trichome
/TRY-kohm/🔬 Anatomy●●● Advanced
Also known as: plant hair, epidermal hair
Any hair-like structure growing from the epidermis of a plant. Trichomes serve diverse functions: insulation, UV protection, water absorption (in some epiphytes), herbivore deterrence, and glandular secretion. They can be unicellular or multicellular, branched or unbranched. Some produce essential oils or sticky substances that trap insects. The woolly or fuzzy texture of many leaves comes from dense trichome coverage.
Etymology
Greek trikhōma (growth of hair), from thrix (hair)
Example
“The silvery appearance of Stachys byzantina (lamb's ear) is due to dense, soft trichomes covering the leaves.”