Eleagnus leaf scales

Scales on the undersurface of an Eleagnus leaf.

This image shows epidermal scales on the lower surface of a leaf of Eleagnus.  These scales give the underside of the leaf its typical silvery appearance.  They help to reduce water loss and to protect the leaves from predation.  The leaf was critical point dried and coated with gold palladium before viewing in a JEOL JSM840 at 13 kV.  A digital image grabbed using Semafore was false coloured using Photoshop.

Image submitted by:  Dr Steve Lowry, Research Fellow, University of Ulster, Biomedical Sciences, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co Londonderry BT52 1SA, UK Email sf.lowry@ulster.ac.uk