Indumentum


In biology, an indumentum is a covering of trichomes on a plant or of bristles of an insect.

Plants

The indumentum on plants can have a wide variety of functions, including as anchorage in climbing plants, in transpiration control, in water absorption, the reflection of solar radiation, increasing water-repellency, in protection against insect predation, and in the trapping of insects. Plant indumentum types include
  • hirsute
  • lanate
  • pilose
  • pubescent
  • scabrous
  • scurfy
  • stellate
  • tomentose
  • villous

Insects

The use of an indumentum on insects can be pollen-related as on bees, sensory like whiskers, or for other uses including adhesion and poison.