ORIGIN, CLASSIFICATION, VARIETIES OF CORN 175 



flowers are produced. As the lateral branches are much 

 shortened and are surrounded by a husk-like structure, 

 Montgomery -points out that "it is only a step in the 



Fig. 29. — Illustrating the relationship between 

 gama-grass, teosinte, and corn: 1, gama-grass; 

 2, teosinte; 3, corn; 4, floral parts of gama-grass: 

 a, tassel; 6, spike of tassel', bearing staminate 

 flowers on upper part, c, staminate flower; d, pis- 

 tillate flower; 5, floral parts of teosinte; 6, floral 

 parts of corn. 



production of an ear of maize, from teosinte by a develop- 

 ment of the central spike of the lateral tassel into an ear." 

 Gama-grass at a distance bear^ close resemblance to 

 maize. The average height is from 5 to 10 feet, the leaves 



