Epidermis

It occurs on the surface of plants

and it is a complex tissue
consisting of epidermal cells,
.stomata and trichomes (hairs)
 :Function of epidermis
Protect the plant from water loss -1
.in transpiration
It acts as boundary tissue -2
.surrounding the plant
Exchange of gases through the -3
.stomata
Storage of water and metabolic -4
.products
 Epidermal cells -1

Shape: tabular in
side view,
isodiametric or
elongated in
.surface view

Cell wall:
straight, wavy
.walls
 Cuticle: epidermal cells are covered by
an impermeable layer known as cuticle
which varies in thickness. The cuticle
may be smooth as in Stramonium or
.striated as in Belladonna

The cuticle is formed mainly of cutin

which is an aggregate of modified fatty
.acids, partly combined with alcohols
 Stomata -2
These are openings in the epidermis of
stem and leaves. They occur in both
surfaces or only on lower surface. In
water plants they occur in upper
.surface
:Types of stomata
The types are indicated either with
regard to the characters of the guard
cells or with regard to the epidermal
.cells surrounding the stomata
 Types according to the characters and
arrangement of surrounding cells (subsidiary
cells)
Ranunculaceous or -1
Anomocytic stomata
(irregular celled): The
surrounding cells
(subsidiary cells) are of
varying number have no
special arrangement
and generally do not
differ from other
epidermal cells e.g.
.Digitalis
 Rubiaceous or -2
Paracytic (parallel
celled): the stoma is
surrounded by two
or more subsidiary
cells, two of which
have their long axes
parallel to the
.osteole e.g. Senna
 Caryophyllaceous or-3
Diacytic (cross
celled): the stoma is
surrounded by
subsidiary cells
having their long
axes perpendicular to
the osteole e.g.
.Mentha
 Cruciferous or -4
Anisocytic (unequal
celled): the stoma is
surrounded by
usually three or
more subsidiary
cells one of which is
distinctly smaller
than the others e.g.
.Belladonna
 Trichomes (Hairs) -3

Epidermal cells are sometimes extended

outwards forming projections of variable
shape and size. If it is short and conical it is
called papillae and the epidermis is
described as papillosed e.g. Coca, but if the
projections are long and well protruding
.they form trichomes or hairs
 The part of trichome embedded in
the epidermis is called foot while
the free part is the body. Hairs are
classified into glandular and non-
.glandular or covering hairs
 Non-glandular hairs

Unicellular Multicellular

Unbranched Branched Unbranched Branched

Cottony -1 Simple -1
Uniseriate -1
Cystolith -2 Stellate -2
Biseriate -2
e.g. Senna -3 Peltate -3
Pluriseriate -3
Candelabra -4
 A- Covering trichomes or non-
glandular hairs
I- Unicellular:
formed of one
cell
a- Unbranched or
simple: e.g.
cottony hair,
cystolitic hair
b- Branched: e.g.
.Lavender
II- Multicellular: that
is formed of more
than one cell
a- Unbranched or
:simple
Uniseriate: -1
formed of one row
as in Belladonna,
. stramonium
Biseriate: formed -2
of two rows, each
row of one (twin
cell) as in Arnica
flower, or more
cells as in
.Calendula
 Pluriseriate: formed -3
of many rows of cells
(Shaggy hair) as in
.Cumin
 :b- Branched
Simple branched: -1
with uniseriate body
ending in two
branches e.g.
.Tobacco
 Stellate: -2
radiating
unicellular
hairs e.g.
.Karkadeh
Peltate: with very -3
short axis
surmounted by a
plate-like
structure of
closely joined
.cells e.g. Olea
 Candelabra: -4
having uniseriate
axis from which
arise numerous
unicellular
branches of hairs
.e.g. Verbascum
 B- Glandular hairs
I- Unicelluar: not of common occurance,
.present in Piper

II- Multicellulr: the most common type. They

consist of several cells and are classified
:into
 :A- Unicellular stalk
;and
Unicellular head*
.e.g. Mentha
Bicellular head e.g.*
.Digitalis
Multicellular head*
e.g. Labiaceous hair
in Mentha and
clavate hair in
.Belladonna
 B- Multicellular
:stalk
a- Uniseriate stalk
.e.g. Belladonna
b- Biseriate stalk
and biseriate
head or
compositae
type e.g.
.Chamomile
 c- Pluriseriate
stalk and a
head with
numerous
mostly eight
radiating cells
.e.g. Cannabis
 d- Branched
stalk: the
branch ending
in head as in
Hyoscyamus
.muticus