EXERCISE 81 



A STUDY OF THE RICE HEAD 



Object. To examine the head of rice and become famil- 

 iar with the shape and 

 arrangement of its dif- 

 ferent parts. 



Explanation. - The 

 head of rice is com- 

 monly called a panicle. 

 It is composed of a 

 branching stem with 

 spikelets attached. 

 Each spikelet contains 

 but one kernel. The 

 kernel is inclosed within 

 a flowering glume on 

 one side and the palea 

 on the other. The 

 flowering glume incloses 

 about two thirds of 

 the kernel. The outer 

 glumes in rice do not 



Fio. 29-^ a head of rice; B a single coyer the flowering 

 spikelet ; C, the kernel of nee with glumes 

 and palea removed. glumes, but are small 



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