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This experiment was conducted to obtain basic informations on the relation of the glandular trichomes and the essential oils of Elsholtzia splendens which is one of the native Korean aromatic plants and will be useful resources for medicinal, aromatic and ornamental uses. Seeds of E. splendens collected from Pyounchang, Kangwondo were sown on April 10th 1997, and cultivated at the experimental plot in Yonam College of Agriculture, Choongnam. The types and distribution of glandular trichomes of leaves, stems, and flowers of E. splendens were examined by scanning electron microscope and light microscope. The leaves, stems, bracts, calyx, and corolla of E. splendens bear both peltate glandular trichomes (PGT) and capitate glandular trichomes (CGT), as well as uniseriate non-glandular trichomes. PGT were only on the abaxial surfaces of leaves, bracts, and flowers, while CGT were on the both surfaces of the leaves. The density of PGT distribution of both plants was the highest on the calyx of the flowers. It appeared to be correlated with the highest essential oil content of spikes of E. splendens. The PGT and CGT on the bracts were distributed only on the abaxial surfaces. This experiment showed that the types and distribution of the glandular tichomes of E. splendens were very similar to those of E. ciliata except that the PGT of E. splendens was larger and the glandular trichomes covered less densely on the surfaces of plants than those of E. ciliates.
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