| Abstract: | Measurements of the epidermal cells in Lolium temulentum andassessments of cell number indicate that differences in bladewidth are due mostly to variations in cell number, whereas changesin blade and sheath length result mainly from differences incell length. A marked increase in length of the flag-leaf aheath,however, was related to an increase in cell number. Considerable changes in the relative proportions of leaf bladeand sheath were observed in the flag leaf, and the leaves immediatelypreceding it, associated with inflorescence initiation. As oneconsequence of this the area of the flag leaf, the largest onthe shoot, is virtually constant under different environmentalcondi-tions. It is suggested that this aspect of correlateddevelopment is related to the nutrition of the panicle, sincein annual grasses such as the cereals the flag leaf may be responsiblefor producing up to 30 per cent. of the starch in the grain. |
