22 FLOWERS 
almost completely enclose the flowers of the spikelet. In thresh- 
ing most varieties of Oats, only the glumes are removed, the 
kernel still remaining enclosed by the lemma and palea, which 
form the covering known as the hull of the grain. A grain of 
Oats, therefore consists of the kernel and its hull; and the 
quality of Oats depends much upon the proportion of hull to 
kernel. As indicated in Figure 18, the lower flower grows 
Fic. 20. — Spikelet of Wheat much enlarged and shown with the bracts 
spread apart, so that parts of the flower may be seen. The flowers are num- 
bered and the parts of one flower are labelled. e, outer glumes; f, lemma; 
pa, palea; p, pistil; s, stamens; I, lodicule; a, awn or beard; 1, rachis. 
more rapidly than the others and forms the larger kernel to 
which the smaller one sometimes remains attached after 
threshing. 
Wheat Flowers. — In Wheat the head, usually called spike, 
consists of many spikelets arranged in two rows along the zig-zag 
axis of the head. (Fig. 19.) This zig-zag axis is the rachis of 
the spike. The spikelets are not borne at the ends of branches 
