Herbaceous dicot vine: Cucurbita

long section: Cucurbita stem magnification: 100x The epidermis is usually single layered with an outer cuticle and multicellular trichomes. The cortex consists of a conspicuous hypodermis of parenchyma cells with collections of collenchyma cells at the stem ridges. The deepest layer of the cortex is marked by a starch sheath (large barrel-shaped cells contain starch granules).