Morphological Characterization of trichomes on stem of Acacia nilotica and Acacia suma.

Abstract- The present study deals with the morphological characterization of trichomes on stem of Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Del. and Acacia suma (Roxb.) Buch.- Ham. belonging to family Mimosaceae. These plants are used in folklore medicine for curing many diseases such as colds, bronchitis, diarrhoea, bleeding piles, leucoderma, anemia and uterine complaints. To control and assure the quality of these herbal medicines or preparations, correct identification of species is must. One of the important criteria for identification of species is of microscopic characters or anatomical biomarkers. The value of the characters is measured for its constancy. The more constant the character, the greater is the reliability that can be placed upon it. Study of trichomes is one of them. Hence, the present study will provide one of the diagnostic features by which the adulterant can be identified. Trichomes have proved more useful to taxonomists at generic and specific level. Both glandular and non-glandular trichomes are observed in both the species of Acacia.