Development of the Ligule in Zea Mays L

Abstract

DURING an investigation of leaf initiation and apical organization in grasses, some particularly clear stages in the origin of the ligule were seen in young leaves of maize shoots cut longitudinally in the plane of the leaves. The development of the grass ligule has received attention from only a very limited number of workers (Bugnon^1,2, Ponzo³, Philipson⁴, and Neumann⁵), but all agree that it arises solely from the young epidermis. Neumann well summarizes its origin when he says “The ligule of Zea Mays arises from three horizontal rows of epidermal cells lying one over the other”.