Those nasty points on the stem of the rose are not true thorns: they are what scientists call "prickles."
玫瑰茎上那些令人讨厌的刺并不是真正的刺，科学家们称其为“皮刺”。
Prickles are smaller than thorns: they are sharp outgrowths of the plant's outer layers, the skin-like epidermis, and the sub-epidermal layer just beneath it.
皮刺比刺小很多：它们是这些植物外层的尖锐分支，类似于皮肤的表皮以及其下的亚表皮层。
Unlike a thorn, a prickle can be easily broken off the plant because it is really a feature of the outer layers rather than part of the wood, like a thorn.
皮刺无法像刺一样轻易地从植物茎上脱落，它只是植物外层的一种特征，不像刺属于茎的一部分。
Both prickles and thorns protect the plant from predators, and, maybe, from lovers looking for a free bouquet.
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