132 WEATHERWAX: MORPHOLOGY OF FLOWERS OF ZEA MAYS 
spikelet are quite different in function and detailed structure, the 
lower one being aborted; and the descriptions of the two must 
be dealt with separately. There are certain important exceptions, 
however, to this peculiarity of the lower flower, and these will 
be discussed later. 
The functional pistil occupies a normal position between the 
lemma and palea of the upper flower (TEXT FIG. 3). It is readily 
Fic. 3. Longitudinal section of pistillate spikelet of Black Mexican sweet corn, 
% 25. Sti, base of stigma; Sty, style; E, outline of embryo sac; L, lemma; P4, palea; 
St, stamen of aborted flower; SC, stylar canal; Ov, functional ovule; G, glume; 5! 
rudimentary stamen; P, pistil of aborted flower; J, joint of rachilla. 
seen to consist of two parts, the bulb-shaped lower part, Jatet 
developing into the caryopsis, and the long ‘‘silk”’ extending 
beyond the husks. 
The accurate naming of at least one part of the pistil seems 
have received little attention from recent writers. Harshberge! 
(1, p. 400) speaks of the silk as a long, hairy style, and later adds 
that the style is hairy to entrap the round, smooth pollen grains: 
Hunt (6, p. 146) speaks of it as the “ style, commonly known as the 
‘silk.’ ” Baillon (4, p. 325) and Bentham and Hooker (5, P- 1114) 
