Turfgrasses are narrow-leaved grass species that form a uniform, long-lived ground cover that can tolerate traffic and low mowing heights (usually two inches or below). Only a few grass species produce acceptable turf in the northern U.S.

1. Turfgrass Anatomy
LNT 132 – Spring 2017
Mark Valen

2. Turfgrass Anatomy
A knowledgeable person should be
able to recognize key features of
grasses to aid in their.
These turfgrass features are:
1. Leaf blade
2. Leaf sheath
3. Leaf collar
4. Auricles
5. Ligules
6. Stolons
7. Rhizomes
8. Tillers
9. Stem apex

3. Turfgrass Leaves
• The leaf is photosynthetic tissue
which is borne on a stem and
consists of a flattened upper blade
and a lower basal sheath that
encircles the stem.
• the leaf is responsible for the vast
majority of photosynthesis and
respiration in the plant.
• Most leaf blades are long, parallel
veined, and non‐petioled.

4. Photosynthesis

5. Turfgrass Leaf Features
Identification Features:
1. Blade tips
• Boat shaped
• Acuminate
• Acute
• Needle‐like
2. Blade surface
• Hairy
• Smooth
3. Veins
• Prominent (rugose)
• Smooth
4. Color
• Yellow green
• Light green
• Green
• Dark green.
boat-shaped
Acuminate
acute
needle-like
Leaf Tips

6. Leaf Sheath
• The leaf sheath is simply an
extension of the leaf
• Shaped like a hollow cylinder
that is split down one side
and encloses the stem.
• Think of is as a buttoned or
un‐buttoned coat that you
are wearing.
• Identification features:
1. split
2. overlapped
3. closed
Split Overlapped
Closed

7. Auricles
Auricles are two finger‐like
appendages which develop on the
margin of the leaf just at the
sheath and the blade junction
They may help to hold the leaf
tight to the stem.
• Identification features:
• claw‐like
• rounded
• absent
claw-like rounded
absent

8. Collar
The collar is a band of tissue which
separates the leaf from the leaf sheath.
• This band is meristematic
• develops new leaf tissue to allow for
blade elongation.
• Identification features:
1. Shape
• Broad‐banded
• Narrow‐banded
• Divided
2. Pubescence:
• Hairy
• Smooth
3. Color
• Lighter than the leaf
• Same color.

9. Collar (cont)
• How does the collar grow
new leaf tissue?
• Assume you just mowed the
leaf at the right just at the top
of the picture.
• The collar lays down new
layers of cells right above
the pale green area and
extends the blade upward.
• So, when mowing, you are
always cutting off the older
part of the leaf blade.

10. Ligules
Ligules are curtain‐like appendages
located on the inner side of the leaf at
the junction of the sheath and the leaf
blade.
They may work like eyelashes in
keeping dirt away from the stem and
leaf base.
In terms of location, think of it as the
label at the back of your neck on a shirt
you are wearing.
• Identification features:
• Membranous
• Truncated
• Fringe of hairs
• Absent
membranous truncated
fringe of hairs absent

11. Stolons
Stolons are secondary lateral shoots with
considerable aboveground horizontal stem
elongation.
Develop new shoots and roots at their
nodes.
Typical stoloniferous grasses are:
• Bermuda
• Kikuyu
• St. Augustine
• Bent
• Zoysia
Stolons allow for rapid recovery of damaged
turf areas

12. Rhizomes
Rhizomes are secondary lateral shoots
that develops horizontally
underground and which emerge as a
new shoot and root at the terminal
end
Typical rhizomatous grasses:
• Bermuda
• Kikuyu
• Kentucky blue
Rhizomes aid in repairing and
thickening turfgrasses

13. Tillers
Tillers are lateral shoots that develop from buds
created by the stem apex
These buds grow into new, upright shoots that
thicken a turfgrass.
Grasses which only “spread” by tillers are
• Ryegrasses
• Tall fescue
• Some types of annual bluegrass.
These are often called “bunch” grasses.
Grasses which only “tiller” are slow to recover
from injury.

14. Stem Apex
The stem apex is the “apical
meristem” of turfgrasses.
Located very near to the
ground, it is responsible for
slight stem elongation and new
leaf formation.
It also creates new stems
(stolons, rhizomes, and tillers).
Due to its close proximity to
the ground, it is seldom
affected by mowing.
Stem Apex

15. Stem Apex
Take a look at this close‐up of
stem apex (also known as a
“crown”) showing you how it
develops new leaves and
buds.
The leaves will grow and
emerge upwards through the
top of stem.
All new leaves are developed
in the center of the stem.

16. Vernation
The orientation in which new
leaves are produced around
the stem apex.
• Folded
• Rolled
folded
rolled