diff --git a/src/attune_author/generator.py b/src/attune_author/generator.py
index 226c0be..788e266 100644
--- a/src/attune_author/generator.py
+++ b/src/attune_author/generator.py
@@ -1040,11 +1040,15 @@ def _collect_function(
     info: _SourceInfo,
 ) -> None:
     first_line = _docstring_first_line(node)
+    signature = _format_function_signature(node)
+    params, returns = _split_signature(signature, node.name)
     info.public_functions.append({"name": node.name, "doc": first_line, "file": rel_path})
     info.function_signatures.append(
         {
             "name": node.name,
-            "signature": _format_function_signature(node),
+            "signature": signature,
+            "params": params,
+            "returns": returns,
             "doc": first_line,
             "file": rel_path,
             "raises": _extract_raises(node),
@@ -1202,6 +1206,23 @@ def _format_function_signature(
     return sig
 
 
+def _split_signature(signature: str, name: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    # Splits ``name(params) -> R`` into ``(params, R)``. Returns
+    # ``("", "")`` if the signature doesn't match the expected
+    # shape — keeps rendering callers defensive.
+    prefix = f"{name}("
+    if not signature.startswith(prefix):
+        return ("", "")
+    rest = signature[len(prefix) :]
+    end = rest.rfind(")")
+    if end == -1:
+        return ("", "")
+    params = rest[:end]
+    tail = rest[end + 1 :].lstrip()
+    returns = tail[3:].strip() if tail.startswith("->") else ""
+    return (params, returns)
+
+
 def _format_class_methods(node: ast.ClassDef) -> str:
     """Format a class's public method signatures.
 
@@ -1307,6 +1328,8 @@ def _render_template(
         tags=feature.tags,
         public_classes=source_info.public_classes,
         public_functions=source_info.public_functions,
+        function_signatures=source_info.function_signatures,
+        class_signatures=source_info.class_signatures,
         module_docstrings=source_info.module_docstrings,
         config_keys=source_info.config_keys,
         file_count=source_info.file_count,
diff --git a/src/attune_author/meta_templates/reference.md.j2 b/src/attune_author/meta_templates/reference.md.j2
index 199c376..e213989 100644
--- a/src/attune_author/meta_templates/reference.md.j2
+++ b/src/attune_author/meta_templates/reference.md.j2
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 # {{ title }} reference
+{% if description %}
 
+{{ description }}
+{% endif %}
 {% if public_classes %}
+
 ## Classes
 
 | Class | Description | File |
@@ -9,8 +13,17 @@
 | `{{ cls.name }}` | {{ cls.doc if cls.doc else "—" }} | `{{ cls.file }}` |
 {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
+{% if function_signatures %}
+
+## Functions
+
+| Function | Parameters | Returns | Description | File |
+|----------|------------|---------|-------------|------|
+{% for fn in function_signatures %}
+| `{{ fn.name }}` | {{ ("`" ~ fn.params ~ "`") if fn.params else "—" }} | {{ ("`" ~ fn.returns ~ "`") if fn.returns else "—" }} | {{ fn.doc if fn.doc else "—" }} | `{{ fn.file }}` |
+{% endfor %}
+{% elif public_functions %}
 
-{% if public_functions %}
 ## Functions
 
 | Function | Description | File |
@@ -19,8 +32,8 @@
 | `{{ fn.name }}()` | {{ fn.doc if fn.doc else "—" }} | `{{ fn.file }}` |
 {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
-
 {% if config_keys %}
+
 ## Configuration
 
 | Key | Description |
@@ -39,8 +52,8 @@
 {% else %}
 No file patterns configured.
 {% endif %}
-
 {% if tags %}
+
 ## Tags
 
 {% for tag in tags %}`{{ tag }}`{{ ", " if not loop.last else "" }}{% endfor %}
diff --git a/tests/__snapshots__/test_generated_templates_golden.ambr b/tests/__snapshots__/test_generated_templates_golden.ambr
index 2aef7e4..bfe0687 100644
--- a/tests/__snapshots__/test_generated_templates_golden.ambr
+++ b/tests/__snapshots__/test_generated_templates_golden.ambr
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@
   
   # Auth reference
   
+  Authentication and authorization
   
   ## Functions
   
-  | Function | Description | File |
-  |----------|-------------|------|
-  | `authenticate()` | Authenticate a user. | `src/auth/login.py` |
-  
+  | Function | Parameters | Returns | Description | File |
+  |----------|------------|---------|-------------|------|
+  | `authenticate` | `username: str, password: str` | `bool` | Authenticate a user. | `src/auth/login.py` |
   
   ## Source files
   
diff --git a/tests/test_generator.py b/tests/test_generator.py
index 257b1c4..e0fcd9e 100644
--- a/tests/test_generator.py
+++ b/tests/test_generator.py
@@ -7,11 +7,79 @@
 
 from attune_author.generator import (
     GenerationResult,
+    _split_signature,
     generate_feature_templates,
 )
 from attune_author.manifest import Feature
 
 
+class TestSplitSignature:
+    """Tests for ``_split_signature``."""
+
+    def test_typed_params_and_return(self) -> None:
+        params, returns = _split_signature(
+            "authenticate(username: str, password: str) -> bool", "authenticate"
+        )
+        assert params == "username: str, password: str"
+        assert returns == "bool"
+
+    def test_no_return_annotation(self) -> None:
+        params, returns = _split_signature("main()", "main")
+        assert params == ""
+        assert returns == ""
+
+    def test_complex_return_with_pipe(self) -> None:
+        params, returns = _split_signature("main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int", "main")
+        assert params == "argv: list[str] | None = None"
+        assert returns == "int"
+
+    def test_unexpected_shape_returns_empty(self) -> None:
+        # Defensive: anything not matching ``name(...)`` shouldn't crash.
+        assert _split_signature("not a signature", "anything") == ("", "")
+
+
+class TestReferenceTemplateColumns:
+    """Reference template must surface Parameters/Returns columns
+    from ``function_signatures`` without depending on the LLM polish
+    pass — otherwise a polish bypass (no API key, lenient mode,
+    cached miss) silently drops typed argument and return data that
+    the AST already has.
+    """
+
+    def test_reference_table_includes_typed_params_and_return(
+        self, help_dir: Path, project_root: Path
+    ) -> None:
+        feature = Feature(
+            name="auth",
+            description="Authentication and authorization",
+            files=["src/auth/**"],
+            tags=["security"],
+        )
+
+        with patch.dict("os.environ", {}, clear=False):
+            result = generate_feature_templates(
+                feature=feature,
+                help_dir=help_dir,
+                project_root=project_root,
+                depths=["reference"],
+                use_rag=False,
+            )
+
+        ref = next(t for t in result.templates if t.depth == "reference")
+        content = ref.path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+        # 4-column header is the structural fix — without polish,
+        # the old template emitted only ``Function | Description | File``.
+        assert "| Function | Parameters | Returns | Description | File |" in content
+        # Typed parameters from the AST are surfaced verbatim.
+        assert "`username: str, password: str`" in content
+        # Return annotation is surfaced verbatim.
+        assert "`bool`" in content
+        # Feature description from features.yaml lands directly under
+        # the title, not only via LLM-polish synthesis.
+        assert "Authentication and authorization" in content
+
+
 class TestGenerateFeatureTemplates:
     """Tests for generate_feature_templates()."""