Dear Falgunee Sarker, thank you for emailing in your question about how to determine which side of the leaf of grasses and sedges is the upper side and which the lower in the field. In all plants, the upper side, also known as and referred to as the Adaxial side, is the one facing the stem or, in grasses and sedges, the culm that it has arisen from. The lower surface which faces away from the axis of the stem or culm is called the Abaxial side. Therefore in grasses and sedges the simplest way to remember which is the upper side is that it is the surface of the leaf with the ligule on. I hope that helps and makes it simpler to determine upper and lower surfaces of leaves in the field. Jen
An excellent overview of plant and leaf anatomy - as indicated "on the tin"! Thank you Jen.
Dear Falgunee Sarker,
thank you for emailing in your question about how to determine which side of the leaf of grasses and sedges is the upper side and which the lower in the field.
In all plants, the upper side, also known as and referred to as the Adaxial side, is the one facing the stem or, in grasses and sedges, the culm that it has arisen from.
The lower surface which faces away from the axis of the stem or culm is called the Abaxial side.
Therefore in grasses and sedges the simplest way to remember which is the upper side is that it is the surface of the leaf with the ligule on.
I hope that helps and makes it simpler to determine upper and lower surfaces of leaves in the field.
Jen