316 WEATHERWAX: THE EVOLUTION OF MAIZE 
function. The pistil is characterized by the greatly elongated 
“silk,’’ which reaches beyond the husks of the ear. I have given 
in other papers (25, pp. 131-137, and 26, pp. 488-493) a detailed 
description of the parts of the female spikelet. 
As has already been noted, the normal ear is doubtless the 
homologue of the central spike of the tassel. Every part of either 
can be identified in the other, and they bear identical relations to 
the other parts of the shoots which they terminate. The apparent 
difference between the two is one of develop- 
ment. Teratological forms (Fics. 9, 10) and 
the inflorescences of suckers (Fics. 11-13) sug- 
gest connecting links between the two organs. 
Suckers—The sucker branches may arise 
singly or two or more from one node (FIG. 1), 
an appearance of the latter condition often 
being the result of secondary branching. Most 
of the suckers develop root systems more or less 
independent of that of the main plant. Some 
suckers have all the appearance of ears growing 
low on the stalk; others grow tall and become 
structurally and functionally the same as the 
main stalks; and still others have characteristics 
intermediate between these two extremes. These 
intermediate types, while they have axillary 
buds, usually develop only terminal inflores- 
10. Atera- cences, which may represent any possible grada- 
tological ear having tion between an ear and a normal tassel (Fics. 
11-13). The most ear-like of these have, no 
silat aailiees doubt, been made the subject of many of our 
popular articles on freak ears. The figure given 
by Mrs. Kellerman (22) and some of Montgomery’s photographs 
(24) look suspiciously like sucker inflorescences. Many freak ears 
given to me by non-technical collectors have turned out, on close 
inquiry, to have been taken from suckers. Their value as evi- 
dences of evolution are none the less for this; but they must be 
interpreted in a different way, for they are not in any way terato- 
logical. 
‘ 
) 
- Variations—Anomalous inflorescences are common, however, 
