170 
PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY 
Gross Structure of a Monocotyl Seed {With fruit wall attached), 
Indian Corn. — The ripened seed of Indian Corn is surrounded by a 
thin, tough pericarp which is firmly adherent to and inseparable from 
the Spermoderm or seed coat. Because of this fact, while in reality 
a fruit called a caryopsis or grain, this structure is sometimes erro- 
neously termed a seed. 
The mature grain of most varieties of Indian Corn is flattened and 
somewhat triangular in outline, the summit being broad and the 
base comparatively narrow. The summit is indented and often 
marked by a small point which represents a vestige of the style. 
The basal or “tip” region marks the part of the grain which was in- 
serted into the cob. Upon it may be found papery chaff, represent- 
ing parts of the pistillate spikelets. The groove noted on the 
broader surface indicates the position of the embryo. 
Histology of the Indian Corn Seed {With fruit wall attached). — If a 
longitudinal section be cut through the lesser diameter of a soaked 
grain, the following histologic characteristics will be observed: 
1. The Pericarp or ripened ovarian wall which, alike with all other 
grains, adheres firmly to the wall of the seed forming a portion of 
the skin of the grain. The pericarp comprises an outer epicarp of 
elongated cells with thin cuticle, a mesocarp of thicker walled cells 
without, becoming thinner within and a layer of tube cells. 
2. The Spermoderm or seed coat, a single layer of delicate elon- 
gated cells. 
3. The Peris perm, another layer directly underneath the Spermo- 
derm, difficult to distinguish without special treatment, and repre- 
senting the ripened nucellar tissue of the ovule. 
4. The Endosperm or nourishing tissue, consisting of: {a) The 
Aleurone Layer, for the most part a single row of cells, containing 
aleurone grains. Some of the cells may be seen to be divided by 
tangential partitions, {b) Starch Parenchyma, consisting of two 
regions: an outer horny zone composed of cells containing for the 
most part polygonal starch grains and oil droplets; and an inner 
mealy zone of cells with mostly rounded starch grains. 
5. The Embryo, consisting of a single shield-shaped cotyledon 
adjoining the endosperm, the plumule or rudimentary bud at the 
end of the caulicle or rudimentary stem and the radicle or rudimen- 
