THE PLANT AS A WORKING MACHINE 15 
the corolla are the stamens; and at the center of the flower 
is the pistil. Within the enlarged stamen tip, or anther, are 
many grains of pollen, and within the swollen basal part of 
the pistil (the ovary) are one or more ovules. The ovules 
are the developing seeds. 
In such plants as indian corn and other members of the 
grass family, to which corn belongs, stwminate (stamen-bear- 
ing) flowers are often found on one part of the plant and 
Fic. 10. A young ear of sweet corn 
A, entire ear, showing the joints, or nodes (n), and the internodes (7) of the branch 
which bears the ear; the leaf-like bracts (b) which inclose the ear, and the grain, 
or ovary (0), to each of which one of the silks is attached. B, an enlarged dia- 
gram of one grain, showing the embryo sac (e), the inclosing husk, or chaff (A), 
. and the silk (s) 
pistillate (pistil-bearing) flowers on another part (figs. 10 and 
11). In corn the staminate flowers are known collectively as 
the tassel, and the pistillate flowers collectively as the ear. 
Each staminate flower consists of a simple leaf-like bract 
which incloses three stamens. The amount of pollen borne 
by a single tassel is very great; it is estimated by one au- 
thority ! that from 20,000,000 to 50,000,000 pollen grains 
have been borne by a single corn plant. A single pistillate 
flower consists of a short and obscure bract (often called 
’ DeVries, Plant Breeding. The Open Court Publishing Company, 1907, 
) 8 P J 
