2004 



ZAUSCHNEKIA 



"A-l ft.: Ivs. linear to ovate, K-lJ-o in. long, glabrou.s, 

 pubescent or tomentose: H.s. scarlet or vermilion, the 

 trunipet-.shaped calyx 1^'» in. long: calyx-lobes ovate; 

 petaLs obcordate, spreading- fr. 4-Yalved, imperfectly 



-t-loculed. B. M. 



4493. F. S. 4: 404. 



P. M. 1.5: 1115. F. 



1847-48:241. (in. 



■M. p. ■-'!); :tl:.")78. 



K.H. 1849:141. 



W, M. 



Z £ A (an old 



Greek name for 

 some comnnin cere- 

 al, probably spelt). 

 Or'tiiiiiti'ii'. As now 

 liniitrd the genus 

 is founded ujion the 

 single polymor- 

 phous cultivated 

 species Zt^a 31tn/s, 

 Maize or Indian 

 C(n-n (Pigs. 277'J, 

 277.1), whose origin 

 is unkn(.)wn but is 

 suspected by some 

 to be Teosinte ( A'»- 

 rlihfuif litj'uriii US ). 

 Most of the evi- 

 dence points to 

 Mexico as the re- 

 gion in which it 

 originated and from 

 which it spri'ad. 

 Under the bead of 

 Corn are given the 

 botanical charac- 

 ters of tire genns, 

 a classifieation of 

 subspiTJes of Zea 

 i\['tiis, and a dis- 

 cussion of Sweet 

 Vm-n and Pop Corn. 

 A picture of a stani- 

 imite flower is given 

 in connection with 

 the article Grass 

 (H'ig. 984, p. C8:l). 



rl' S ' ''1 f> ^4t \ Hiickel ("The True 



{£/ llil! N&v t Grasses") explains 



il I v.JMr|\\\ ' J''"'-'? •« follows: 

 'll> l-(l!*;-'»llllif V^ "Tlie pistillate 



spikes ((u'iginally 

 by nn) n s t r on s or 

 teratidogical devel- 

 ojMuentMare grown 

 t ri g e t h e r into a 

 s|i.)ngy. continu- 

 ous, (duV) - shaiied 

 body (thee., b) uiM.n 

 whicl) tlie 4-11 dou- 

 ble row< (each ses- 

 sile up'iu a low 

 lolii;itinlinal elcva- 

 timi that is limited 

 ^, shallow furi-o\v on each sidi-] i-o-ia-sjiond to 

 spike of p]ucbliena. (-Jrain d(-v<'l(i|i(-d .-it the 

 expense of the other parts, projecting be>ond the thin 

 bracts, which rarely l.)econie coriaceous and inrlnse it." 

 Fig. 2773. The staminate flowers are in the "tassel." 



Dent or Field Corn {Z. i inlriilala , of Sturtevaiit ). The 

 bulk of the Corn r;nsed f'U- Imme Tise ;ind for exiiort be- 

 longs to this subspecies, it is characterized by the 

 presence of hrumy or corneons endosp'erm alnng the 

 sides of the gr;iin. while the starchy endosperm extends 

 to the summil. In drying, the floury portion shrinks 

 more than the horn\. and this gives ilse to the dent at tie- 

 summit. Both the horny and Ibe tlonry jairtiou nf 

 file endosperm crnisist nf sf;,reli, but the feraoer is more 

 compact. The varii-fies vnr>' greally in si'/.i' <d' Jilanls 

 and appearance of the e;ir, but in general the phuit and 



2772. Indian Corn — Zea Mays. 



Iiy a hni; 



ZEA 



the ear are both larger than the Sweet ov Flint Corns. 

 The color of the kernels varies, the chief color varieties 

 being white, yellow, and calico, the latter mottled with 

 red; red varieties are less ccunmon, but red ears occa- 

 sionallv occur in all varieties. 



Flint Corn {Z. iiidiirala, >itni-t.) . Kernel with horny 

 endosperm enveloping a starchy or floury portion, this 

 being hard and tiinty and with no dent at apex. Ears 

 in most varieties smaller and rows fewer (often 8) than 

 in the Dent Corn. Color of kernel white, yellow, red, 

 blue, and variegated. Comnmnly cultivated through the 

 northern portions of our country and in Canada, where 

 the seasons are too short for Dent Corn. Has been 

 grown as far north as 50°. 



Soft Corn {Z. (ivu/lacea, Sturt.). Kernels without 

 horny or corneons endosperm, hence shrinking uni- 

 foi'uily. Seems to have been commonly grown by the 

 Indiai'is in many localities of both North and South 

 America. At present it is cultivated to only a limited 

 extent in the United States. Brazilian Flour Corn sold 

 by seedsmen is a type of the Soft Corn. 



Pod Corn {Z. tnnicala, Sturt.) is sometimes grown as 

 a curiosity. Each kernel is inclosed in a .small husk and 

 the whole" ear again inclosed in the usual husk. 



A form of Flint Corn with variegated leaves goes 

 under the name of Zea Japoniea, or Japanese striped 

 Corn. Z. qiKidricola and Z. graciUima are seed.snien's 

 names for other similar forms, the former being varie- 

 gated and the latter dwarf. 



For cultural account, see Cor». a, g, Hitchcock. 



2773. Ear or pistillate spike oi Maize. 



The Imsk^ ;iro a kind of invnluere Each kernel repre- 

 sents a flewer. The " sdks" ;u"e styles. 



The origin of Maize is still a mystery. All evidence 

 points to an American ttativity. but ihe ori.ginal form of 

 the species is not identihed. ilany (.rrscms believe that 

 till- wild original will yet lie found smnewhere from 

 Mexico south. Cithers supjiosc tluit Maize originated 



