Ku-morphology yezitshalo, ama-spines, nama-spickles, futhi ngokuvamile izakhiwo ze-spinose, ziyizinxanxathela eziqinile, eziqinile noma izinguquko zamaqabunga, izimpande, noma amahlumela anezinhlangothi ezicijile, eziqinile, futhi ngokuvamile zenza umsebenzi ofanayo: ukuvikela izitshalo ngokwenyama kanye nezilwane ezinobungozi.
Ngolimi oluvamile, la magama asetshenziswa ngokushintshana, kodwa amagama asho into eyodwa, ama-spring atholakala emahlumela (ngakho-ke kungenzeka ukuthi ahlukene noma angahlukene, angase abe namaqabunga noma angahlanganisiwe, futhi angase noma angaphumi emahlumela), ama-spines athathwe emaqabungeni (noma lonke umuthi noma ingxenye ethile yesihlahla elinama-vascular bundles ngaphakathi, njenge-pe noma I-stipule), nama-prickles athathwe ezicutshini ze-epidermis ngaphakathi (ngakho nje kungatholakala noma kuphi).
Amaqabunga angaphinde abe namazinyo, futhi uma lawo mazinyo ebukhali, abizwa ngokuthi ameva ahlabayo e-spinose leaf margin (abanye ababhali abawabheka njengohlobo lomgogodla). Ku-apex yeqabunga, uma kukhona inqubo ye-apical (ngokuvamile ukwelulwa kwe-midvein), futhi uma icijile, iqinile, futhi ifana nenaliti, ingabizwa ngokuthi i-spinose noma inqubo ye'apical enomsindo (futhi, abanye abalobi bayibiza ngokuthi uhlobo lomgogodla). Lapho i-epidermis yeqabunga imbozwe ama-trichomes amade, acijile (okubizwa kahle kakhulu ngokuthi ama-bristles kulokhu; kwabanye ababhali uhlobo lwe-prickle), ingabhekiselwa kuyo njenge-hispid vestiture; uma ama-trichoomes eyi-trichome ebuthayo, ingabizwa ngokuthi i-urent vestiture.
Umsebenzi omkhulu ameva, ama-spines, nama-prickles ukuvimbela ukudla uhlaza ngendlela yemishini. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, zihlukaniswa njengezivikelo ezingokomzimba noma ngokwemvelo, ngokungafani nezivikelo zamakhemikhali.
Akuyona yonke imisebenzi ye-spines noma i-glochids egcinelwe ukuzivikela ekuhlaselweni ngokomzimba yizilwane ezidla uhlaza nezinye izilwane. Kwezinye izimo, ameva sithola ukuthi ama-spines avikela noma avikele izitshalo eziwakhulisa, ngaleyo ndlela azivikele emazingeni okushisa. Ngokomzekelo, ama-I-saguaro cactus spines afaka imithunzi we-apical meristem ehlobo, futhi kumalungu e-Opuntioideae, ama-glochids avikela i-apical meridim ebusika.
