38 



SOUTH INDIAN GRASSES 



colonum, P. flavidum and Panicum fluitans the sclerenchyma is 

 reduced to its minimum. 



x^ — » ■ t ■-» 2 



Fig. 59. — Transverse section of a part of the leaf of Panicum fluitans. x 30 

 1. Vascular bundle ; 2. sclerenchyma. 



In the leaves of grasses growing in dry situations the develop- 

 ment of sclerenchyma is generally very considerable. The grass 



Fig. 60. — Transverse section of a leaf of Spinifex squarrosus. x 10 

 I. Vascular bundle ; 2. sclerenchyma. 



Aristida setacea is a good example of a xerophytic grass. The sea- 

 shore grass Spinifex squarrosus is another example of the same 

 kind. But in the leaves of this grass, the development of scleren- 

 chyma is not very considerable, but there is a great development 



Fig. 6i.-»A portion of the transverse section of the leaf of Spinifex squarrosus. x 60 

 1. Sclerenchyma ; 2. vascular bundle; 3. epidermis ; 4. stomata. 



of parenchymatous cells free from chlorophyll within the leaf, the 

 chlorophyll bearing cells being confined to the upper and the lower 

 surfaces of the leaves. 



