Why did trichomes evolve in nature?
Cannabis has evolved trichomes for a multitude of uses in nature, some of these require THC & other cannabinoids to be effective, and others that do not. • Insect Protection: Many insects find the thick coating of trichomes unpleasant, this offers a level of protection for the developing seeds. • Animals: The layer of trichomes and cystolith hairs makes cannabis less palatable to many herbivores & omnivores. • Desiccation: The layer of trichomes helps to ‘insulate’ the pistilate (female) flower from low humidity levels and high wind. • UV-B Light: UV-B light is harmful to living things, THC has very high UV-B adsorption properties, thus cannabis evolution may have favored the evolution of genotypes that produced these THC laden capitate-stalked trichomes as a built in ‘sun-screen’ for protection against UV-B light rays. • Fungal Protection: Some of the compounds present in the trichomes actually inhibit the growths of some types of fungus. Quite possibly, the most important reason for
