Leaf Trichomes of Some Parthenium species

Abstract

Guayule (Parthenium argentatum), a native shrub of the Chihuahuan desert, contains rubber. Guayule has been crossed with other Parthenium species in an attempt to improve its agronomic characteristics. The resulting hybrids show intermediate morphologies. Each Parthenium species has a characteristic combination of leaf trichomes. In order to recognize the contribution of each parent in future studies of hybrids, characteristics of leaf trichomes of the following Parthenium species were studied: P. tomentosum, P. fruticosum, P. Schottii and P. rollinsianum. All species studied had two or more types of trichomes, and, in some species, trichomes of upper and lower epidermal surfaces were different. The prominent trichomes on upper epidermis of P. tomentosum and P. fruticosum were simple, uniseriate, conical trichomes, which also were observed on both epidermal surfaces of P. Schottii. Extremely long, narrow, simple, whiplike, trichomes formed a dense cover on both surfaces of P. rollinsianum and on the lower surfaces of P. tomentosum and P. fruticosum. Simple, uniseriate, cylindrical trichomes, and biseriate, glandular trichomes were observed in all four species.