A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Ligule, “the flattened spreading limb of the marginal or ray-flowers of Compsitae; a projection from the summit of the sheath in Grasses, etc.” (Fernald 1950: ligula,-ae (s.f.I), lit. 'a little tongue', abl.sg. ligula, nom. pl. ligulae, acc. pl. ligulas, dat. & abl. pl. ligulis [> L. ligula,-ae (s.f.I), also lingula,-ae (s.f.I): a little tongue; a tongue of land; the tongue of a shoe, a shoe-strap (Lewis & Short) > lingua,-ae (s.f.I), the tongue];

- ligula linea brevior truncata ciliata, ligule than a line (1/12inch) shorter, truncate ciliate.

- ligulae ad marginem ciliolatum redactae, ligules to a ciliolate margin reduced.

- ligulae anguste oblongae truncatae scariosae, ligules narrowly oblong truncate scarious.

- corollae radii ligulatae, ligula brevi obovata, corollas of the radius (i.e.ray-florets) ligulate, with ligula short obovate [Stearn 1983]

- coronae squamae a latere compressae concavae v. cucullata, introrsum squamella v. ligula auctae (B&H), the scales of the corona compressed from the side, concave or cucullate, increased on the inside by a small scale [squamella] or a ligule.

- vaginae ad extremitates laterales ligularum nec lígulae ipsae barbato-ciliatae (F. Mueller), the sheaths on the lateral extremities of the ligules, not the ligules themselves, bearded-ciliate.

- petala in ligulam spathulatam producta. (DeCandolle), the petals prolonged into a spathulate ligule.

NOTE: "ligule, "a variable structure (scarious, membranaceous or cartilaginous, prolonged or truncated, a simple blade or dissected into fringes or bristles, etc." (Fernald 1950 p. 95).