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Grass blades (and many other leaves) are often covered with surface hairs that help to deter chewing insects or animals. Surface hairs may also provide protection from high levels of damaging sunlight. Hairs vary in length, thickness, and flexibility, and some have specialized functions. (For example, glandular hairs hold toxic substances). There are over 25 different terms used to describe leaf surface characteristics, most of them having to do with hair descriptions. This image shows a portion of the surface of a grass blade that is covered by numerous small, sharp hairs and an occasional large, flexible hair.
Image and text copyright © Dennis Kunkel. All rights reserved. |
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