Ligule (source code)
= Ligule
In a <grass>, a <ligule> is an appendage on the inner side of the junction between the <leaf> blade and the sheath that surrounds the <plant stem>. It may be a thin flap, a fringe of hairs, or absent. Its form is useful for identifying <grasses>: two plants with similar narrow <leaves> can have conspicuously different <ligules>.<Glossary of Botanical Terms by PlantNET>[I–L entries, ligule; the term also denotes the strap-shaped corolla limb of a ray floret]{ref}
To find it, follow a <leaf> blade toward the <plant stem> and gently pull the blade away at its base. Inspect the upper, inward-facing junction rather than the entire sheath. This locates a small but repeatable feature, turning an unfamiliar name into an observable anatomical character. <Ligule> also has a distinct floral use for the strap-shaped part of a ray <floret>; context determines which structure is meant.
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