14 WILD RICE: ITS USES AND PROPAGATION". 



The seed is nearly cylindrical in shape and long and slender, purplish 

 black in color when mature, with a shallow crease along one side and 

 a long, slender embryo. 



GENERAL MORPHOLOGY. 



For convenience in discussion we may consider the wild-rice plant 

 as consisting of four principal areas: The Root, the Stem, the Leaf, 

 and the Panicle. 



The Root. — Unlike many grasses, wild rice produces upon germina- 

 tion but one root, arising from the embryo within the seed. The other 

 two, which would make up the three commonly appearing from the 

 seed of the grasses at germination, appear upon the first node of the 

 shoot above the seed, which usually becomes the base of the stem, and 

 from this and the nodes closely adjacent above arise the roots which 

 maintain the life of the plant. In some cases large roots start from 

 the first and even from the second node above the base of the stem 

 in case a branch develops at either of these places and conditions are 

 favorable, but for the most part the roots occur only at the base. 



The base of the stem, shown in Plate II, fig. 2, is of peculiar curved 

 shape. The roots arise in rows or whorls. The lower ones are slen- 

 der and fibrous, while the upper ones, which are later and larger, 

 function chiefly as a means of support or anchorage. The root sys- 

 tem of the plant does not usually penetrate deep into the mud. 



The Stem. — The stem of the wild-rice plant i.s essentially a hollow 

 cone divided by four or five transverse walls at the principal nodes, 

 which are the starting points of the leaves. Further divisions are 

 made by transverse diaphragms which are called the pseudonodes. 

 (PI. II, tig. 1.) These pseudonodes occur at short intervals in each 

 internode. It is probable that they function in making water-tight 

 compartments to keep the plant afloat in case of injury to any portion 

 of the stem, since the plant under normal conditions is held down 

 b} T its roots rather than supported by them, and when released from its 

 attachment to the soil readily floats to the surface of the water. These 

 pseudonodes are probably the phylogenetic remnant of the pith of 

 the stem, which has been preserved in this form as useful to the 

 plant. 



Branching of the stem is not uncommon, particularly when the plant 

 is isolated or growing in shallow water. This branching usuall} T 

 occurs from the basal node or from the first node above, though rarely, 

 if ever, does a branch which will mature arise from a node above the 

 water. Vigorous branches arising from a basal node f requentty throw 

 out other branches, so that a cluster of several stems may arise from 

 a single seed. In deep water, however, or where plants grow thickly 

 there is little or no branching, even from the basal node. 



