THE MOST IMPORTANT CEREALS 



157 



thread of silk. The tassel, or panicle of staminate spikelets is terminal 

 in maize. Each normal staminate spikelet is two-flowered, each flower 



FIG. 66. Pistillate spikelet of corn, much enlarged. (Robbins after Nees., 



having three perfect stamens subtended by lemmas and palets. Glumes 

 subtend each staminate spikelet (Fig. 67). 



FIG. 67. Details of maize (Zea mays canina) i. Male inflorescence; 2. Two male 

 spikelets; 3. Dissection of spikelet with two male flowers (below a pollen grain); 4. Plan 

 of male spikelet; 5. Vertical section of maize kernel; 6. Germination of maize caryopsis. 

 (After Harshberger, John W.: Maize: A Botanical and Economic Study . Contributions 

 from the Botanical Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania I, No. 2, Part of Plate II, 1893.) 



Grain. The mature grain of corn is flattened with an external 

 shallow groove, which indicates the position of the embryo, and at the 

 blunt end a small scar where the style was attached. Cutting the kernel 



