English lavender

Cryo-SEM prepared cross section of English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), showing trichomes, which help to trap a layer of air around the leaf to reduce transpiration, or water loss.

The specimen was rapidly frozen, cold fractured, sublimated and coated prior to examination on a JEOL JSM-6490 SEM (original magnification: 500X).

Image courtesy of the University of York, UK