Formation of flavone-based wooly fibres by glandular trichomes of Dionysia tapetodes.

Dionysia tapetodes, a small cushion-forming mountainous evergreen in the Primulaceae, possesses a vast surface-covering of long silky fibres forming the characteristic "wooly" farina. This contrasts with some related Primula which instead possess a powdery farina. Using a combination of cell biology and analytical chemical techniques, we provide a detailed insight of wooly farina formation by glandular trichomes that produce a mixture of flavone and substituted flavone derivatives, including hydroxyflavones. Conversely, our analysis show that the powdery form consist almost entirely of flavone. The wooly farina in D. tapetodes is extruded through specific sites at the surface of the glandular head cell, characterised by a small complete gap in the plasma membrane, cell wall and cuticle. The data is consistent with formation and thread elongation occurring from within the cell. The putative mechanism of wool thread formation and its stability is discussed.