What Does Resin Glands Mean?
The resin glands of the cannabis plant, known as trichomes, occur on the plant’s buds, flowers, leaves, and even to a lesser extent on the stems. Trichomes are derived from the Greek word ‘trikhoma’ which translates ‘growth of hair’.
When looked at through a microscope, the cannabis resin glands look like small mushrooms. The resin glands are what produce the cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as the terpenes of the plant.
The cannabis plant’s resin glands create three types of trichomes: bulbous, capitate-stalked, and capitate-sessile. The bulbous are the smallest cells to make up the resin gland. They occur on the foot, stalk, and head of the gland. As they mature, they develop a small nipple-like protrusion that secretes resin. The capitate-stalked glands produce the most cannabinoids and occur on the female plant’s flowers and on the small leaves located near the flowers. The male plant also has capitate-stalked resin glands, but far fewer than the female plant. Capitate-sessile glands are bulbous and secrete cannabinoids only as the plant matures.
