ligule origins

[Fred Rickson]

My offline reply to the original author seems better now for the whole
discussion.  Basal cells of the ligule are bordered by transfer cells, and
a paper some time ago in the Amer. J. of Botany (Nels Lersten or Harry
Horner???) showed the basal cells to contain perhaps the largest Golgi in
the plant kingdom.  I had a look also and the cicternae are 20-30 high, and
the organelles pack each cell.  The Foster and Gifford information is for
teaching, and not intended for detailed discussion of structure.  There is
a gooey polysaccharide secreted (PAS positive) in the ligule area, which
makes sense vis a vis the Golgi.  All of this is in the literature and
suggestive of the original 1800s hypothesis of a moisture providing system.
 Maybe protecting the apex or sporangia from drying.  It is interesting
that Curtis Clark and John Grehan, without having a clue regarding the
specific anatomical or cytological literature, can "discuss'' the evolution
of a particular structure.

Fred Rickson