The Grass Doctor

How does grass grow into a tapered point?

This is just a question that creeped into my bored mind during the robotic chore of mowing my lawn. Obviously, when you cut the grass it is chopped off with a single horizontal blade which leaves a straight cut at the top of the plant. But by the time it's time to cut the grass again, the plant has grown into a point at the top.

Public Comments

1. Grass is photo trophic meaning that it grows toward light. Growing to a tapered point allows for more light to reach further down the shaft of the grass.
2. Umm interisting question..... When you cut the grass, apical meristem remains at or near the soil surface.This apical meristem quickly makes new pointed leaves. the growing point (apical meristem ) is at or near the soil surface and is protected from mowing lawn . moving, therefore, removes leaf tissue but, in most cases, will not harm the growing point that produces the leaves. This growth area (intercalary meristem) is at the base of the leaf blade adjacent to the sheath.