Part B. The Inflorescence. 



Fig. 26. 



8. You will recall from your study of wheat that the wheat flower is bisexual, i. e., sta- 

 mens and pistil are found in the 

 same flower. Though it is prob- 

 ably true that far back in its his- 

 tory the corn flower was likewise 

 bisexual, it is now unisexual, i. e., 

 stamens and pistil do not occur in 

 the same flower, (a) Observe that 

 the corn tassel is covered with 

 spikelets something- like those of 

 wheat. Notice that these spike- 

 lets usually occur in pairs, one be- 

 ing sessile while the other is sup- 

 ported by a short pedicel. Dissect 

 one of these spikelets as shown in 

 Fig. 25 p 58. When you have the 

 dissected spikelet properly ar- 

 ranged, write the names beneath 

 the respective parts. Then remove 

 the parts of the spikelet a little to 

 one side and in their places draw 

 figures about natural size. (b) 

 How many outer glumes do you 

 find per spikelet? (c) Plow many 

 flowers? (d) Do you find any 

 pistil present? (e) How can you 

 distinguish between flowering 

 glume and palea? (f) Do the 

 various glumes have the same po- 

 sition relative to each other as 

 they do in wheat? (g) Does the 

 tassel have what appears to be a 

 main axis — the other parts being 

 side branches? 



9. In your study of wheat it 

 was seen that the kernel devel- 

 oped from the ovary of the pistil. 

 The same thing is true of the corn 

 kernel. It must follow then that 

 the ear of corn is the inflorescence 

 of pistillate flowers of the corn 

 plant, (a) Are you able to find 

 any stamens whatever about the 



Immature ear of corn with silks displayed, 

 periment Station.) 



(Nebraska Ex- 



59 



