ZEA 



from the Teosinte (Enchlcpna Mexicana), a fodder 

 grass tliat is much grown iu Mexico. See Teosinte. 

 This latter view has arisen from experiments in cross- 

 ing Teosinte and Maize, whereby a maize-like plant has 

 been produced, thus showing the very close affinity of 

 the two species. Plants of this hybrid were thought by 

 the late Sereno Watson and others to constitute a new- 

 species of Zea, and Watson named it Z. eattinu. This 

 plant quickly reverts to ordinary Corn when grown in 

 the North (see Harshberger, G. F. 9:522; Contr. Bot. 

 Lab. Univ. Penn. 2:231. Also Bailey, Bull. 49, Cornell 

 Exp. Sta.). Figs. 2774, 2775. Zea Muijs, therefore, may 

 be (1) a true species, of which the wild prototype is 

 unknown; (21 a direct offshoot by domestication of 

 MitchhftHi MeTietina: (31a product of crossing between 

 JHuchlitnn Mf.ii'-nnii :md ^oiin- uiikiKiw n related species; 

 (4) a i.i-.i.lijrt ,.t n-o, -,,,-■ lictHrrii h' ,„■ h Iw „a ilexicaua 

 and a <l<'iiH'^ti<';ii''<l r;H''' ttl" ttir >;um.' species. Our 

 knowlecim' i^ yif iii^nfKi-ieiit to eiiul.lr us to offer much 

 more than conjecture on these categories. 



Maize is remarkably variable, although most of the 

 variations intergrade in different regions and under 

 different conditions. The most extended American study 

 of variation and varieties in Maize has been made by 

 the late Dr. E. Lewis Sturtevant. The summarv of his 

 study of varieties is published as Bull. 57, Office of 

 Experiment Stations, U. 8. Dept. of Agrie. ("Varieties 

 of Corn," 1899). Sturtevant throws the varieties of 

 Maize into seven "^y,;-!.-^ groups " or "agricultural 

 species." The ili^i inLMii-lniif,' characters of these 

 groups are fouii'li d ■;, tin k. rnels. Aside from these 

 there is at least ..n.- w.ll 

 of ornamental maize, Zea Jtipov 

 which for horticultural purposes 

 well be separated from the others In 

 the following classification, the char 

 acters of the races, except of the orna 

 mental sorts, are copied from Stuitc 

 vant. It is probable that a strict m 



ZEA 



2005 





■'}(^<j 



quiry into the no- 

 3lature of Zea 

 Mays would 

 other names to re- 

 place some of those 

 given bv Sturte- 

 vant; "but 1 ' 

 names have the 

 great merits of defl- 

 niteness and of ap- 

 plicability to Amer- 

 ican forms of 

 Maize. 

 AN Corn. A com- 



branches with ears at the ]omts 

 Z6a Miys, Linn. Maize. 1 

 posite species, of which no single form can be taken as 

 the type. Linnasus meant the name to cover the whole 

 range of forms then grown in European gardens. 

 Tender annual. If an original specific form of Maize 

 were to be discovered, this form would no doubt be 



taken as the type, and all other forms ranged as varie- 

 ties of it. 



A. Maize groivn for ornament. 



Var. Jap6nica, Koern. (Z. Japinica, Van Houtte. 

 Z. rittita, Hort.). Foliage variously striped with 

 white: plant small. Said to have come from Japan. 

 F.S. 16:1073-4. Ears small; kernels yellowish, flint. 



Var. graclUima, Koern. ( Z. gracillima and Z. minima , 

 Hort . ) . Very ihvarf , slender form with green Ivs., some- 

 variety rarief/aia is also 

 mentioned. 



Var. Curdgua, Hort. 

 [Z. Cnrdgjia, Molina), 

 is described as a very 

 robust gieen leaved ( 



form. Sturtevant places 

 It m the Pop Corn tribe. 

 &n 42, p 207 



2777. Poi or Husk Corn. -Zea 



M3ys, var. tunicata (X iy). 

 Each kernel inclosed in a husk. 



3Iai. 



ihj 



2776 Zea canina. third 

 year from the wild 

 Kernels less pointed. 

 Cob nearly cylindrical 



grown primar 

 for the grain or fruit. 

 Var. tunic&ta (Z. tiinicAta, 

 Sturt.). Pod Corn. Figs. 2777, 

 2778. Plate VII. In this group 

 each kernel is inclosed in a 

 pod or husk, and the ear thus 

 formed is inclosed in husks. 



e V * rta 



Thi: 



Sturt.). 



group is ( 



the 



excessive proportion of th 

 small size of the kernels and ear. 'I'ln- Im si varieties 

 have a corneous endosperm throughout. Tliis tjiv.s the 

 property of popping, which is the complete eversion or 

 turning inside out of the kernel through the explosion 

 of the contained moisture on application of heat. A 

 small deposit of starchy endosperm does not greatly in- 

 terfere with this property of popping, but when the 

 starchy endosperm is in excess, as in a flint Corn, the 

 kernel does not evert, but the corneous portion only ex- 

 plodes or splits, leaving the starchv portion unch:in'ged. 

 The true Pop Corn is hence 

 tender in its eating; the 

 false Pop Corn has a ten- 

 der portion of limited ex- 

 tent only This class of 

 Corns is even mere readily 

 rec gnized h-^ nspection 

 than b^ descr ^ tion 



\ai indurata {Z in \ y^-C}'^./' 



durctti Sturt ) Flint .V^ / r '\\\ t 

 Corn Plate VII Fig h.^/ /J ^\\K( 

 V 9 A group readily re ~'/ ^''k. / V 



CO., zedl ^ the occurrence gt-5^.J3^(r 





the stirch^ endo perm 

 simulating externallj a 

 at once differentiates it. 



■ with varieties. When 

 le kernel the shrinkage of 

 ciuse a depression, thus 

 fiom which its structure 



