i 7 6 



GROWTH AND WORK OF PLANTS 



the outer surface, so that there is always an even number of rows 

 of grains on an ear. The ears arise as branches at some of the 

 middle joints of the stem in the axils of the leaves. When young 

 they are covered by the leaf sheath, but at flowering time the end 

 appears above the sheath and projects for some distance. The 

 ear is surrounded and covered by a large number of leafy bracts, 

 called "husks." They are in reality leaves; the outer ones are 

 green, and often the tip terminates in a true blade, so that the 

 husk part may correspond to the leaf sheath. At the time of 

 flowering the tuft of silk emerges from between the husks at the 

 end of the ear. 



Fig. 128. 

 Spikelet of oat, 



Fig. 129. 

 One glume re- 



showing two moved, showing 



glumes. 



fertile flower. 



Fig. 131. 

 Section showing 

 ground plan of 

 flower, a, axis. 



Fig. 130. 



Flower opened, show- 

 ing two palets, p, three 

 stamens, st., and two lodi- 

 cules, /, at base of pistil, 

 the pistil has two plumose 

 styles, pi. The lodicules 

 represent a rudimentary 

 perianth (paragraph 287). 



281. The pistillate flowers of Indian corn. The pistillate 

 flowers are well seen by taking a young ear of corn soon after the 

 silk has emerged. If the husks are carefully stripped off with- 

 out breaking the silk, and this is shaken out so as to separate the 

 threads as much as possible, it will be seen that each long thread 

 of silk is connected with the tip of a small and young grain of 



