Current Botany 2020, 11: 117-120

Research Article
doi: 10.25081/cb.2020.v11.6141
https://updatepublishing.com/journal/index.php/cb

Trichome diversity studies in selected

species of Sida
G. Ashwathy, K. Krishnakumar*
ISSN: 2220-4822 Nutraceutical Research Division, Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Maharaja’s College
(Government Autonomous), Ernakulam- 682011, Kerala, India

ABSTRACT
Sida (Family: Malvaceae) belongs to the genus of flowering plants that possess high medicinal value and is used
traditionally in almost all parts of the world.  There were about 18 species reported from the state of Kerala (India). Among
these, some are with taxonomic controversies. Hence micro-morphological characters of leaves such as trichomes can be
used as a taxonomic tool for the identification of plants. Their type, presence, absence and distribution are important
diagnostic characters in plant identification and plant taxonomy. Plant samples were collected from different localities
of Kerala. Foliar epidermal studies were carried out in order to identify the diversity and distribution of trichomes in the
selected species of Sida viz., S. acuta, S. alnifolia, S. beddomei, S. cordata, S. cordifolia, S. fryxelli, S. ravii, S. rhombifolia
and S. rhomboidea. Six types of trichomes were identified; they were stellate, conical, forked, capitate (short stalked),
uniseriate multicellular and peltate. Stellate trichomes were observed in all the species. Conical trichomes were observed
Received: March 23, 2020
Revised: May 27, 2020 in S. beddomei, S cordata and S. fryxelli. Forked trichome was observed in S. acuta, S. cordata, S. cordifolia, S. ravii,
Accepted: May 29, 2020 S. rhombifolia and S. rhomboidea. Capitate (short stalked) trichomes were observed in S. acuta, S. alnifolia, S. rhombifolia
Published: June 16, 2020 and S. rhomboidea. Uniseriate multicellular trichomes were observed in S. cordifolia, S. fryxelli and S. ravii. Peltate
trichomes are observed in all species except S. beddomei, S. cordifolia and S. fryxelli. However, these species could be
easily distinguished by their conical trichomes. A bracketed dichotomous key was prepared for the identification of the
*Corresponding Author:
species considered for the study.
K. Krishnakumar
Email: kkrishnakumar.alp@
gmail.com KEYWORDS: Sida, Trichomes, Stellate, Forked, Capitate, Conical

INTRODUCTION restricted the genus to Malvaceous members [2]. Although earlier

works reports the presence of only 150- 200 species distributed
Sida is a genus of Angiosperms that belongs to the Family worldwide, more than 1000 names have been published in the
Malvaceae. The name Sida was proposed by Linnaeus in genus. Hence, there are taxonomic complexities within the genus.
1753 in ‘Species Plantarum’. The genus is represented by 200 Various researchers have worked to unravel the complexities by
species around the world, more than 20 species in India and 18 studying characters of leaves [9&10]. Leaves are usually neglected
species in Kerala [1-6]. Species of Sida has been traditionally organs in taxonomic and comparative morphological studies.
used in Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and Homeopathic system of Leaf morphological and anatomical characters can be of great
medicine. It is the most widely used raw drug in the treatment taxonomic significance. As Metcalfe and Chalk [11] reported,
of rheumatism. It is also used in the treatment of neurological leaves are considered as the most varied organ anatomically in
disorders, headache, leucorrheal tuberculosis, diabetes, fever and angiosperms which provides a variety of anatomical features
uterine disorders [7&8]. They are perennial herbs or subshrubs, that can be employed as useful taxonomic characters. Foliar
erect or prostrate, glabrous or pubescent, sometimes viscid. Most anatomical characters like stomata and trichomes are found
of them are heliophilous weedy taxa growing in exposed waste instrumental in solving taxonomic problems and its significance
lands. But occasionally, they do occur also as under-growths have long been recognized by various workers [12].
in semi-deciduous and deciduous forests, plantations and in
partially shaded habitats [2]. Trichomes are epidermal appendages of varying shape, structure,
and function. They are found in almost all plant parts ie., leaves,
Sida was heterogeneous taxa from the period of Theophrastus, petals, stalks, peduncles, stems and seeds coat surfaces. Leaf
as the generic name was used to denote Nymphaea and other trichomes have been shown to scale back herbivory in a number
aquatic plants at that point of time. It was Linnaeus who of plant species [13&14]. Trichomes are of great importance

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Ashwathy and Krishnakumar

to the plants as they are used for reducing leaf temperature, Table 1: List of Sida species collected for the study
increasing light reflectance degree, preventing desiccation and Sl. No. Species of Sida Localities
reducing frictional force on the leaves [15]. Gulzar et al. [16], have 1. Sida acuta Burm. F. Panampilly Nagar (Ernakulam Dist.),
described the importance of the structure and nature of trichomes Eramalloor (Alappuzha Dist.), Peechi
in phylogeny. There are also previous works mentioning that the (Thrissur Dist.)
abundance of particular trichome type may aid in taxonomic 2. Sida alnifolia L. North Paravoor (Ernakulam Dist.),
Bhoothathankettu (Ernakulam Dist.)
studies of genera, species and plant families [11&17]. 3. Sida beddomei Bhoothathankettu (Ernakulam Dist.)
Jacob.
The present investigation is aimed to spot the range and 4. Sida cordata (Burm. Peechi (Thrissur Dist.), Eramalloor
distribution of trichomes within the selected species of Sida f.) Bross. Waalk. (Alappuzha Dist.)
5. Sida cordifolia L. Cherthala (Alappuzha Dist.)
viz., S. acuta, S. alnifolia, S. cordata, S. cordifolia, S. fryxelli, 6. Sida fryxelli Sivar. & North Paravoor (Ernakulam Dist.),
S. ravii, S. rhombifolia and S. rhomboidea. to easily delineate Pradeep. Eramalloor (Alappuzha Dist.)
the different species. 7. Sida rhombifolia L. Panampilly Nagar (Ernakulam Dist.),
Paravoor (Ernakulam Dist.), Eramalloor
(Alappuzha Dist.), Peechi (Thrissur Dist.)
MATERIALS AND METHODS 8. Sida rhomboidea Panampilly Nagar (Ernakulam Dist.)
Roxb. ex. Flemming.
1. Collection and identification of plant specimens 9. Sida ravii Sivad. & Maruthoorkulangara (Kollam Dist.)
Field explorations were carried out in different parts of Anil Kumar
Kerala (India) and 9 species of Sida were collected (Table 1).
The collected specimens were identified using standard
authentic literature [1,2&3]. Table 2: Types of Trichomes identified in Sida species
2. Trichome study Sl. No. Type of Trichomes Description
Foliar anatomical sections were carried out to identify the 1. Conical (simple) Axillary elongated, unicellular, broad at the
distribution and diversity of trichomes in Sida species. Leaf base and tapering above
2. Forked Two ray cells present in the same cell cavity
samples were taken from each species and free hand sections 3. Stellate Formed of considerable number of ray cells
were taken. The sections were stained using 1% aqueous held together in the center
solution of safranin. Excess stain was washed off with water. 4. Capitate (Short Flask shaped with a multicellular bulging
The sections of each species were mounted in glycerin and stalked) base, short stalk and an oval shaped head.
5. Uniseriate Uniseriate, Erect, formed of single row of
observed under the light microscope with 40X resolution multicellular cells. Number of cells vary 4-5
(Biolinkz M2000 series). The types of trichomes for each 6. Peltate Sessile, cup shaped or rounded with narrow
species were noted and photographs were taken. apical opening

RESULTS 1. Forked
1a. peltate
As a result of field exploration, 9 species of Sida were collected. Capitate (short stalked)…………… S. acuta,
The details of the collected samples are given in Table 1. S. rhombifolia, S. rhomboidea
Conical ……………….………….… S. cordata
Foliar epidermal studies were carried out in order to identify Uniseriate multicellular …………… S. ravii
the diversity and distribution of trichomes in the selected 1b. not peltate
species of Sida viz., S. acuta, S. alnifolia, S. beddomei, S. cordata, Uniseriate multicellular …………… S. cordifolia
S. cordifolia, S. fryxelli, S. ravii, S. rhombifolia and S. rhomboidea. 2. Not forked
There were six types of trichomes identified in the species of Sida 2a. peltate
studied viz., conical(simple), forked, stellate, capitate (short Short stalked, capitate ……………… S. alnifolia
stalked), uniseriate multicellular and peltate (Table 2). Stellate 2b. not peltate
trichomes were observed in all the species. Conical trichomes Uniseriate multicellular …………… S. fryxelli
were observed in S. beddomei, S cordata and S. fryxelli. Forked Conical ……………….…………… S. beddomei
trichome was observed in S. acuta, S. cordata, S. cordifolia,
S. ravii, S. rhombifolia and S. rhomboidea. Capitate (short stalked) DISCUSSION
trichomes were observed in S. acuta, S. alnifolia, S. rhombifolia
and S. rhomboidea. Uniseriate multicellular trichomes were Sida is a medicinally important genus and many species
observed in S. cordifolia, S. fryxelli and S. ravii. Peltate trichomes belonging to the genus have been traditionally used in India
are observed in all species except S. beddomei, S. cordifolia and since long. It is a heterogenous taxa with many taxonomic
S. fryxelli. Trichome distribution in Sida species is given in controversies. As mentioned earlier, leaves are generally
Table 3. neglected organs in taxonomic and comparative morphological
studies. Studies on leaf architecture of dicotyledons by
A bracketed dichotomous key was prepared for the 9 species of Hickey [18] have created much interest in the leaf characters
Sida studied. The key is given below: as an aid in resolving taxonomic problems. The present

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 Ashwathy and Krishnakumar

Table 3: Trichome distribution in Sida species investigated

Sl. No. Species Conical Forked Stellate Short stalked capitate Uniseriate multicellular Peltate
1. S. acuta    
2. S. alnifolia   
3. S. beddomei  
4. S. cordata   
5. S. cordifolia    
6. S. fryxelli   
7. S. rhombifolia    
8. S. rhomboidea    
9. S. ravii    

respectively. Uniseriate multicellular trichomes were found

only in S. mysorensis. This revealed that peltate and stellate
trichomes are common in the genus Sida. Among the nine
species studied S. beddomei, S. cordata and S. fryxelli could be
easily distinguished by their characteristic conical trichomes.

An investigation on the glandular and non-glandular type

of trichomes in Orthosiphon labiatus revealed that there
were three types of trichome in the species under study; two
a b c glandular type (capitate and peltate) and one non- glandular
type [21]. Thirteen types of trichomes were identified with
Salvia nemarosa [22]; of which capitate and peltate trichomes
dominated. Leaf trichome study of Hyptis suaveolens [23]
revealed the presence of two types of non-glandular trichomes
(monocellular and multicellular) and three types of glandular
trichomes (peltate, capitate type I and capitate type II). A study
conducted on the foliar epidermal characters of ten Senna
species and found that Stomatal types of anisocytic, anomocytic,
d e f
paracytic, tetracytic and haxacytic were found across the
Figure 1: Photomicrographs of types of trichomes observed in Sida species, glandular trichomes were observed in S. hirsuta and
species. a) Conical(simple) trichome; b) Forked trichome; c) Stellate
S. occidentalis, while non-glandular trichomes are dominant in
trichome; d) Capitate (short stalked) trichome; e) Uniseriate multicellular
trichome; f) Peltate the remaining species[12].

Trichome diversity studies of the family Caryophyllaceae

study was carried out as an attempt to find out the diversity
of Western Himalayas revealed the presence of six types of
and distribution of trichomes on the leaf surface of selected
trichomes viz., unicellular eglandular, unicellular glandular,
species of Sida to distinguish the species. Trichomes are
hair-like appendages extending from the epidermis of aerial uulticellular uniseriate glandular, multicellular uniseriate
tissues [19]. They range in different forms and sizes. In the eglandular, multicellular eglandular bifurcate and multicellular
present study, six types of trichomes were observed; viz., multiseriate eglandular [28]. A recent study [29] on the
stellate, conical, forked, capitate (short stalked), uniseriate trichome idversity of wild and cultivated egg plants revealed
multicellular and peltate (Table 3). Stellate trichomes were that The wild species viz., S. viarum and S. mammosum have
observed in all the species. Conical trichomes were observed seven (Type II to VIII) morphologically distinguishable types
in S. beddomei, S cordata and S. fryxelli. Forked trichome of trichomes including two types of glandular trichomes (Type
was observed in S. acuta, S. cordata, S. cordifolia, S. ravii, VI, VII) as against uniform occurrence of branched stellate
S. rhombifolia and S. rhomboidea. Capitate (short stalked) trichomes (Type VIII) alone in cultivated species.
trichomes were observed in S. acuta, S. alnifolia, S. rhombifolia
and S. rhomboidea. Uniseriate multicellular trichomes were Earlier workers [17,24,25,26&27] have proved that abundance
observed in S. cordifolia, S. fryxelli and S. ravii. Peltate of a particular type of trichome can aid in taxonomic studies of
trichomes are observed in all species except S. beddomei, S. genera, species and plant families. They carried out their work
cordifolia and S. fryxelli (Figure 1). Earlier studies on Sida in the genus Osbeckia, family Asteraceae, Elaeis guineensis,
species collected elsewhere [20] reported that peltate and genus Vitis, genus Hibiscus respectively. Their work had been
stellate trichomes were found in all species under study viz., successful in delineating the species based on leaf epidermal
Sida alba L., S. alii S. Abedin var. alii, S. cordata (Burm. F.) characters. Trichome morphological study within the genus
Borss, S. mysorensis Wight and Arn, S. ovata Forssk. S. spinosa Monardella of Lamiaceae family was used as powerful tool in
L and S. yunnanensis S.Y.Hu. Long-stalked and short-stalked differentiating taxa and resolving taxonomic ambiguities led to
capitate trichomes were observed in S. alii and S. spinosa the revision of the genus [30].

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Ashwathy and Krishnakumar

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