Abstract

STELLATE HAIRS AND GLANDS AS AN AID TO DIFFERENTIATE DIFFERENT KINDS OF “BALA” AND IT’S ADULTERANTS

Anamika Singh and Dr. Mammen Daniel*

ABSTRACT

The absence of data on proper pharmacognostic and phytochemical markers is an incentive for commercial supply of spurious raw materials of medicinal plants. With a view to finding the relevance of stellate hairs and glands in quality control of “Bala”, 18 plants used as various types of Bala, are subjected to a comparative qualitative and quantitative studies of their trichomes and glandular hairs. All the 18 plants are found to contain various types of stellate trichomes and 12 found to possess glandular trichomes. The stellate hairs are morphologically varied in the arms of stellate hair, the nature of lumen in each arm, in length of arms, in basal additional rosette of epidermal cells and tubercles in arms. The glands are mainly of 2 types; large multicellular flask shaped and small glands with a single celled stalk and a head. A dichotomous “Key” is prepared based on the nature of stellate hairs and glands in the plants which will facilitate easy recognition of all the 18 species used as “Bala’.

Keywords: Bala, Stellate hairs, glands, Identification Key.