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Prickles on a blackberry branch. In plant morphology, thorns, spines, and prickles, and in general spinose structures (sometimes called spinose teeth or spinose apical processes), are hard, rigid extensions or modifications of leaves, roots, stems, or buds with sharp, stiff ends, and generally serve the same function: physically defending plants against herbivory.
Prickles and thorns are an evolved defense against herbivores — animals that eat plants — and can also aid in growth, plant competition and water retention, according to the study. It was ...
Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants; Crataegus monogyna, or common hawthorn, ... "Thorns", by Demon Hunter from Storm the Gates of Hell, 2007
Not quite as stubby as the three formerly separate articles on thorns, spines, and prickles, but not exactly ready for a GA review. I suppose some information on the evolutionary history of these features would be good to have, and additional botanical guidance as to the types of plants which tend to have particular types of pointed defenses.
This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary of leaf morphology.
Plants have also developed sharp structures, such as thorns, spines, and prickles, as defensive mechanisms to deter herbivores. These structures, found in species like cacti and roses, have pointed, sometimes serrated edges to maximize damage while requiring minimal energy to maintain.
The spines are the relatively large, radiating organs; the glochids are the fine prickles in the centres of the bunches. Glochids (Opuntia microdasys monstrose) Glochids or glochidia (sg.: "glochidium") are hair-like spines or short prickles, generally barbed, found on the areoles of cacti in the sub-family Opuntioideae.
The terms emergences or prickles refer to outgrowths that involve more than the epidermis. This distinction is not always easily applied (see Wait-a-minute tree ). Also, there are nontrichomatous epidermal cells that protrude from the surface, such as root hairs .