WHEAT 



311 



S — ^. 



e— 



Fig. 52. — The reproductive organs of wheat: (1) Spikelet, natural size, 

 with a few joints of the rachis; / and g are flowerless glumes; k, florets 

 bearing seeds; r, rudimentary florets. (2) Longitudinal diagram of 

 flower just before flowering; anthers marked o; ovary, o; stigma, s; 

 filament, /. (3) Diagram of flower just after flowering, showing how 



. anthers are held within the envelope. (4) Ovary and stigma just prior 

 to flowering. (5) Ovary and stigma at the time of flowering. (6) Ovary 

 and stigma shortly after flowering. (7) , (8) , and (9) the mature seed ; 

 a, the ventral side; 6, the dorsal side; c, the germ or chit; s, the stem 

 end of the germ; r, thd root end; e, outer layers of bran; d, the incurved 

 surface of bran on the ventral side of the seed. The white portions 

 of (8) and (9) are the floury interior consisting of cells containing the 

 gluten and starch from which white flour is made. 



