Module 1 - Botany 101

Question 1

What is a compound-palamate leaf?

Answer 1

Several leaflets make up a leaf radiating from a central point.

Question 2

What are linear and lanceolate leaves?

Answer 2

Linear leaves are long and thin; lanceolate leaves are wider in the middle

Question 3

How many leaves do cannabis leaves typically have?

Answer 3

1 - 11

Question 4

What are unicellular trichomes?

Answer 4

Resemble small, simple hair; 50 microns long; appear early in the plants life; appear on the undersides of the leaves; non-resinous

Question 5

What are trichomes?

Answer 5

Tiny structures that protrude from leaves, stems, stalks and bracts; cannabis has 6 types of trichomes: 3 resinous, 3 non-resinous

Question 6

What are cystolithic trichomes?

Answer 6

Trichomes that contain cysolith (tiny mass of calcium carbonate) at the base of the stalk; 150-220 microns long; non-resinous

Question 7

What are 3 forms of glandular trichomes?

Answer 7

bulbous, capitate-sessile, capitate-stalked; all are resinous

Question 8

What are bulbous trichomes?

Answer 8

short stalks; small glandular head (10-20 microns; appear prior to flowering; small amounts of resin

Question 9

What are capitate-sessile trichomes?

Answer 9

no stalk, glandular head measures 20-40 microns; have just a single cell connecting them to the epidermis

Question 10

What are capitate-stalked trichomes?

Answer 10

resemble mushroom head on a stalk; this is where the bulk of the cannabinoids and trichomes are produced; largest of all trichomes @ 135 microns w/ 40 micron width stalk; most heavily concentrated on the bracts; begin to appear just before flowering and increase in size until maturity

Question 11

What are dioecious flowers?

Answer 11

flowers that produce distinct male and female flowers

Question 12

What do male flowers form?

Answer 12

cymose panicles (complex racemes); each male flower is comprised of 5 stamens (aka anthers, “bananas”) each with a pollen sac

Question 13

What are the some facts about male pollen?

Answer 13

~ 6000 pollen grains per stamen; contains the food necessary for the seedling to survive; can travel for thousands of miles but is only 5% viable after 3 days

Question 14

What is raceme (ra-seem)?

Answer 14

a cluster of flowers attached by short stalks (pedicels) of equal distance from a main axis

Question 15

What is a pistil?

Answer 15

the female reproductive organ; comprised of 2 stigmas and an ovule

Question 16

What encloses the female pistil?

Answer 16

2 structures; a perianth (corolla & calyx) & the a bract

Question 17

What is a technique used to allow a tester to ascertain the presence of a Y-chromosome in a cannabis plant?

Answer 17

polymerase chain reaction; only male plants have Y-chromosomes

Question 18

What are buds?

Answer 18

fresh, growing or dried female clusters

Question 19

What is a cola (or foxtail)?

Answer 19

closely packed buds at the end of stems and branches

Question 20

What are nugs?

Answer 20

manicured, dried buds