HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



LEAVES 



Apex 



Midrib 



Figure 4 



The leaves of grasses are always 

 parallel-veined and generally have 

 long, narrow blades. The foliage leaf 

 of grasses (Fig. 4), consists of a 

 sheath, a Hgule, and a blade. There 

 is no petiole. The sheath is the split 

 tubular portion surrounding the culm; 

 the ligule is a little membrane-like 

 or hairy collar which sticks up at 

 the juncture of sheath and blade; the 

 blade is the spreading portion of the 

 leaf. It usually has a conspicuous 

 midrib as well as numerous smaller 

 nerves or veins parallel to the mid- 

 rib. The tip, or apex, of the leaf is 

 sharp pointed. Little projections at 

 the base of the leaf blade are called 

 auricles. In a few genera, notably 

 JBromus, Melica, Schizachne, and Gly- 

 ceria, the leaf sheath has joined 

 edges, forming a tube, much the 

 same as in the Cyperaceae. 



FLOWER CLUSTERS 



The flower cluster or inflorescence (Fig. 5) of grasses is always 

 made up of a number of subdivisions called spikelets. The spikelets 



eduncle 



ONE-SIDED 

 5PIKE 



PANICLE i-ROWED 

 5PIKE: 



RACEME 



Figure 5 



