The strange shape of plant hairs

Plants must adopt morphological, biochemical and physiological strategies in order to protect themselves against both abiotic agents, such as environmental factors, and biotic agents, such as attacks from predators. One of the most common morphological strategies in the plant kingdom, which acts as a defence mechanism and/or as a mean of protection, is the presence of hairs or trichomes. This work describes the morphology of these structures in some Mediterranean plants.