The Leaf Anatomy of Buffalo Grass, Buchloë dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.

Abstract

In transection, the leaf blade of buffalo grass, Buchloë dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm., shows the tissue arrangement characteristic of its relatives in the genus Bouteloua. Bicellular hairs are present in the epidermis of all parts of the leaf, except on the adaxial side of the sheath. These are replaced by crescentic silica cells in the outer epidermis of the sheath and are absent from the inner epidermis. Vascular bundles in the blade are surrounded by a double sheath. The innermost sheath consists of fibers; the outer, of large chlorenchymatous cells. Outside this double sheath lies a radiate chlorenchyma, which is the major photosynthetic tissue of the leaf. All green tissues accumulate starch. The leaf sheath consists mostly of undifferentiated parenchyma with veins, each having a single sheath. Bicellular hairs, silica cells, bundle sheaths, and radiate chlorenchyma are all typical of chloridoid grasses.