FLOWERS, THEIR STRUCTURE AND KINDS 173 



(sometimes one or three), one nearly or quite sessile and the 

 other on a short stalk. 



277. The staminate flowers of Indian corn. Each spike- 

 let is made up of two flowers, one bearing perfect stamens, and 

 another, usually sterile, bearing imperfect stamens, or none. The 

 two flowers in the spikelet are enclosed by two small boot-shaped, 

 ribbed and partially green bracts, known as empty glumes, one for 

 each flower. If we dissect the flower by spreading these empty 

 glumes apart, and with needles loosen from the inside the other 



Fig. 126. 

 Open staminate flowers of Indian corn. 



parts of the flowers, we shall find that in the flower with perfect 

 stamens, for example, there is another membranous bract which 

 lies next the empty glume and often fits closely within it. This 

 is the flowering glume, so called because it lies next the stamens. 

 Upon the other side of the stamens is another membranous bract, 

 the palet. 



278. The stamens are three in number, which is the rule in 

 the grasses and cereals. The filaments are long and slender. 

 The anthers are two-loculed, being separate at each end and con- 

 nected by the tissue of the " connective" for the greater part of 



