diff --git a/dune/gfe/localgeodesicfefunction.hh b/dune/gfe/localgeodesicfefunction.hh
index 513cbbe4b5ddd50ba896816db0930bb83b74b8bd..ad270dc1499e9bde673022f414be1a0ba17c0390 100644
--- a/dune/gfe/localgeodesicfefunction.hh
+++ b/dune/gfe/localgeodesicfefunction.hh
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ public:
     {
         return localFiniteElement_.localBasis().size();
     }
+    
+    /** \brief The type of the reference element */
+    Dune::GeometryType type() const
+    {
+        return localFiniteElement_.type();
+    }
 
     /** \brief Evaluate the function */
     TargetSpace evaluate(const Dune::FieldVector<ctype, dim>& local) const;
@@ -593,6 +599,12 @@ public:
         return localFiniteElement_.localBasis().size();
     }
 
+    /** \brief The type of the reference element */
+    Dune::GeometryType type() const
+    {
+        return localFiniteElement_.type();
+    }
+
     /** \brief Evaluate the function */
     TargetSpace evaluate(const Dune::FieldVector<ctype, dim>& local) const
     {