Thorns, spines, and prickles

In plant morphology, thorns, spines, prickles, and in general spinose structures (as spinose teeth, spinose apical process) are all hard structures with sharp, stiff ends, generally with the same function of physically deterring animals from eating the plant material.

In common language the terms are used more or less interchangeably, but in botanical terms, thorns are derived from shoots (so they can be branched or not, they can have leaves or not, and they arise from a bud), spines are derived from leaves (the entire leaf or some part of the leaf that has vascular bundles inside, like the petiole or a stipule), and prickles are derived from the epidermis (so they can be found anywhere on the plant, and do not have vascular bundles inside so they can be removed more easily and cleanly than thorns and spines).

Leaf margins also may have teeth, and if those teeth are sharp, they are called spinose teeth on a spinose leaf margin (some authors consider them a kind of spine). On a leaf apex, if there is an apical process (generally an extension of the midvein), and if it is specially sharp, stiff, and spinelike, it can be called spinose or pungent apical process (again, some authors call them a kind of spine). When epidermis is covered with very long, stiff trichomes (more correctly called bristles in this case, for some authors a kind of prickle) is called hispid vestiture, if is covered with stinging trichomes it can be called urent vestiture.

Thorn

Thorn or Thorns may refer to:

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Organisations

Thorn (organization)

Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children, previously known as DNA Foundation, is an international anti-human trafficking organization that works to address the sexual exploitation of children. The primary programming efforts of the organization focus on Internet technology and the role it plays in facilitating child pornography and sexual slavery of children on a global scale. The organization was founded by American actors, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher.

History

DNA Foundation was founded in 2009, by film and television actors Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. At that time, Moore was viewing an MSNBC documentary on human trafficking and sexual slavery of children in Cambodia. While later researching some of the issues that were presented in the film, she was inspired to act when she learned that child pornography and the sexual slavery of children were taking place not only in Cambodia, but in the United States as well.

When DNA Foundation was established, the name of the organization represented the couple, along with their joint commitment to addressing human trafficking. On November 15, 2012, the name of the organization was changed following the dissolution of the founders' marriage.As of 2012, they remain with the organization as co-founders. The members of the board of directors of Thorn include Moore and Kutcher; as well as Ray Chambers, the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Malaria; and Jim Pitkow, co-founder of Attributor.

Thorn (surname)

Thorn is a surname that may refer to:

Real people