n] 



LIGULE AND LAMINA 



19 



of water which has run down the leaf, and so lessen the 

 danger of rotting between the sheath and stem : possibly 

 the shelves and ears commonly met with at the base of 

 the lamina (Fig. 12) aid in the same process. This ligule 

 may be long or short, acute or obtuse, toothed or entire, or 

 it may be reduced to a mere line, or tuft of hairs, or even 

 be obsolete, and is of considerable value in classification — 

 e.g. the ligule is obsolete or wanting in Melica, Festuca 

 ovina, F. Myurus, F. elatior, Kceleria and Panicum. 



It is represented by a tuft of hairs in Molinia, Triodia 

 and Arundn. 



Fig. 11. Loliuiii perenne. 



A, base of lamina, 



B, ligule. G, sheath 

 (x3). Note the low 

 ribs, and absence of 

 hairs (glabrous). 



Fig. 12. Festuca elatior, 

 var. pratemis. A, 

 base of lamina. B, 

 the extremely short 

 ligule, with pointed 

 ears. G, sheath 

 (x3). 



Fi< 



;. 13. Festuca 

 ovina. A , base 

 of lamina. B, 

 ligular ears. C, 

 sheath (x about 

 4). Stebler. 



Our other ordinary grasses have a more or less well- 

 developed membranous ligule (Fig. 8). 



The leaf-blade is long or short, broad or narrow, but 

 always of some elongated form such as linear, linear- 

 lanceolate or linear-acuminate, or subulate, setaceous, &c., 

 varying as to the degree of acuteness of the apex, and 

 the tapering of the base. 



