[The outer epidermal wall of the "sensitive hairs" of dionaea muscipula].

The outer epidermal wall of the podium of the trigger hair of Dionaea muscipula reveals an unusual ultrastructure under the electron microscope. The cuticular layer is penetrated by numerous radially arranged fibrils of about 2 nm in diameter inserting in a fibrillar network beneath the cutinized part of the wall. Both the fibrils and the fibrillar network are heavily stained after treatment with lead citrate. Possibly these specific wall structures make the podium elastic and enable it to undergo repeated bendings.