# Headless trichomes



## Alistair

Hello,

I'm looking at a strain of sativa; the strain is unknown.  This is week 9 of flowering.  I see a lot of headless trichomes.  These are capitate-stalked trichomes that have lost their heads?  They aren't the non-glandular, thin, non-resin containing trichomes, but rather long, fat stalks that at one time had ahead (I believe I'm correct).  If I remember correctly this means that these trichomes are dying.  However, there are still capitate-trichomes that are either turning cloudy, or trichomes that are completely cloudy. Plus, there are a few amber trichomes.  I only saw one completely brown head of all the many samples that I've taken.  The very top of the cola has many clear trichomes.  Overall it seems as though the majority of the trichomes have lost their heads.
I don't know what to do regarding harvesting this bud.  The reason I hesitate to pick it is because being sative 8 1/2 weeks seems a little too soon.  However, I do have a tendency to let the buds get over-ripe.  Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Alistair


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## smokybear

I have no clue. I wish you could get some pics. I've never seen "headless trichs". I would say that it's not finished up yet if it's a sativa though. Just my thoughts. I wish you the best of luck. Got any pics of the lady? Take care and be safe.


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## Alistair

I don't have a good camera.  Well, the trichomes without heads, if I remember correctly, are trichomes that have matured and are starting to deteriorate.  However, also if I remember correctly, the ones without heads are the first wave of trichs that grew.  Then, there are new ones that grow afterwards.  I believe it's similar to pistils that grow, and then a second wave, growth of pistils occurs afterwards.
Well, thanks for your input.  Let's see what others have to say,

Alistair


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## HippyInEngland

Although cannabis resin glands called trichomes are structurally diverse, they come in three basic varieties: 


Bulbous: 
The bulbous type is the smallest (15-30 micron). From one to four cells make up the "foot" and "stalk," and one to four cells make up the "head" of the gland. Head cells secrete a resin - presumably cannabinoids, and related compounds which accumulate between the head cells and the cuticle. When the gland matures, a nipple-like protrusion may form on the membrane from the pressure of the accumulating resin. The bulbous glands are found scattered about the surfaces of the above-ground plant parts. 


Capitate-Sessile: 
The second type of gland is much larger & is more numerous than the bulbous glands. They are called capitate, which means having a globular-shaped head. On immature plants, the heads lie flush, appearing not to have a stalk and are called capitate sessile. They actually have a stalk that is one cell high, although it may not be visible beneath the globular head. The head is composed of usually eight, but up to 16 cells, that form a convex rosette. These cells secrete cannabinoids, and related compounds which accumulate between the rosette and it's outer membrane. This gives it a spherical shape. The gland measures from 25 to 100 micron across. 


Capitate-Stalked: 
Cannabinoids are most abundant in the capitate-stalked gland which consists of a tier of secretory disc cells subtending a large non-cellular secretory cavity. During flowering the capitate glands that appear on the newly formed plant parts take on a third form. Some of the glands are raised to a height of 150 to 500 micron when their stalks elongate. These capitate-stalked glands appear during flowering and form their densest cover on the female flower bracts. They are also highly concentrated on the small leaves that accompany the flowers. The male flowers have stalked glands on the sepals, but they are smaller and less concentrated than on the female bracts. Male flowers form a row of very large capitate glands along the opposite sides of anthers.


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## Alistair

The "headless" trichs don't fit the description of any of the above 3 types.  I've looked at the pictures with the red, blue, yellow, and green arrows too.  The ones to which the red arrows point best fit the bill, but the ones I'm talking about look bigger. At any rate, the ones without any head outnumber the capitate-stalked.  
I wish I had a good camera, so I could at least show a good picture of the buds in question. But...

Thanks,

Alistair


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## Puffin Afatty

Alistair Young said:
			
		

> Hello,
> 
> I'm looking at a strain of sativa; the strain is unknown. This is week 9 of flowering. I see a lot of headless trichomes. These are capitate-stalked trichomes that have lost their heads? They aren't the non-glandular, thin, non-resin containing trichomes, but rather long, fat stalks that at one time had ahead (I believe I'm correct). If I remember correctly this means that these trichomes are dying. However, there are still capitate-trichomes that are either turning cloudy, or trichomes that are completely cloudy. Plus, there are a few amber trichomes. I only saw one completely brown head of all the many samples that I've taken. The very top of the cola has many clear trichomes. Overall it seems as though the majority of the trichomes have lost their heads.
> I don't know what to do regarding harvesting this bud. The reason I hesitate to pick it is because being sative 8 1/2 weeks seems a little too soon. However, I do have a tendency to let the buds get over-ripe. Any suggestions?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Alistair


 
:farm: _sativas take a longer time to finish, SnowWhite  (a haze)for example takes 14 weeks. I see the bulbless trichs in the middle weeks of flowering cycle. I will see them buldge, by the 12th or 13th week. keep watching, they will be buldging soon enuf.

that said, I kinda wonder if it is possible to knock the bulb off, maybe by rough handling, eh???_


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## Alistair

Hmmmm...  I reckon you could be right about the rough handling.  However, I could have sworn that I read a long time ago something about the trichs degrading and the bulbs falling off. I need a sharper pair of scissors. I have to work hard to cut off a sample, and perhaps that breaks the trichs.


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## smokybear

That could be possible. Try being more careful with the samples you are cutting. Use a pair of needle nose pliers or hemostats to grasp the leaf you are going to cut. Hope this helps. Take care and be safe.


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## Puffin Afatty

Alistair Young said:
			
		

> Hmmmm... I reckon you could be right about the rough handling. However, I could have sworn that I read a long time ago something about the trichs degrading and the bulbs falling off. I need a sharper pair of scissors. I have to work hard to cut off a sample, and perhaps that breaks the trichs.


 
_ I do a regeneration, I'm sure I should be seeing some trichs that were from the earlier generations, so I will pay attention from now on to_ _see if it appears the bulbless trichs are looking old or new, clear, amber, or cloudy.:hubba: _


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## Alistair

Thanks Smokey,

Actually,  I'm not cutting a bud leaf, but rather I'm cutting off a calyx.  Is it better to cut a small bud leaf instead?


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## Alistair

I just finished looking at trichs on a bud that I know is not mature, and most of the trichs were not decapitated.  
I need to find time to read more, that's for sure.


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