a. [f. LIGULA + -ATE3.]
1. Having the form of, or furnished with, a ligula; strap-shaped; Bot. applied esp. to the ray florets of some composite flowers, and to flowers having a monopetalous corolla slit on one side and opened flat.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., I. xix. (1765), 49. Ligulate, when all the Corollulæ … of the Florets are plane, flat… and expanded towards the outer Side.
1785. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., X. (1794), 101. He calls … the semi-florets, ligulate floscules.
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 187. The 5 segments that make up the ligulate floret of a Composita.
1839. Penny Cycl., XIII. 480/2. Ligulate flowers, are such as have a monopetalous corolla slit on one side and opened flat, as in the Dandelion Lilac.
1846. Dana, Zooph. (1848), 580. Axis … of the branchlets ligulate.
1870. Hooker, Stud. Flora, 196. Daisy,… Ray-flowers many, 1-seriate, female, ligulate.
1875. Bennett & Dyer, trans. Sachs’ Bot., 547. When the leaf is ligulate and its insertion broad.
1877. Coues & Allen, N. Amer. Rodentia, 239. The rudimentary pollex of Myodes bears a large ligulate nail.
2. Of letters: Connected by a band.
1851. D. Wilson, Preh. Ann. (1863), II. 75. A good example of ligulate letters, which English antiquaries are familiar with, not only on the pottery, but also on the altars and inscribed tablets of the Anglo-Roman period.
So Ligulated a., in the same senses.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Ligulated floscules.
1777. G. Forster, Voy. round World, II. 15. Some wore round coronets of the small ligulated feathers of the man of war bird.
1855. Mayne, Expos. Lex. (s.v. Liguliformis), Ligulated corols.
1864. T. Wright, in Intell. Observ., No. 34. 231. Doubled or ligulated letters.
