STUDY OF VEGETATIVE TRICHOMES IN PETREA VOLUBILIS L.

Petrea Volubilis L. is an extensive perennial liana with ash coloured stem covered with greyish pubescence, leaves elliptic, scabrous, pubescent on nerves beneath, undulate, acute or shortly acuminate. Flowers showy, purple in pendulous 15-19 cm long axillary racemes, calyx star shaped, large persistent. Trichomes are reliable taxonomic markers. In present attempt trichomes on all vegetative parts are studied. They are found of two types non-glandular and glandular, which vary in minute details on different parts. They are ranging from papillae, unicellular to multicellularar uniseriate type with diverse hair bases . The epidermal surface is papillate in almost all organs. Trichomes are not only specific but suggestive of their functional significance .