Corn

Monocots

herbaceous, parallel leaf venation flower parts in 3’s, scattered vascular bundles, fibrous roots

Cereals

-edible grains of cultivated grasses

-major suppplies of calories for human nutrition

-can be stored for years & are a concentrated food source

-wheat, corn, & rice are examples

Inflorescence

the structure containing all the flowers

Anthers

large & produce lots of pollen

Stigmas

double & large to catch pollen

Caryopsis

seed and fruit fused together

Endosperm

large cells filled w/ starch grains; supplies food to germinating seedling

Embryo/Germ

young plant rich in oils, proteins, & vitamins

Bran

-consists of outer layers of old fruit wall, seed coat, & the aleurone lauyer, which secrets enzymes that difest the stored starch in the endosperm

-rich in protein and vitamins

Central Mexico

Where did corn originate from?

Teosinte

What’s the mother of corn?

Popcorn

-the oldest type of corn that has a hard seed w/ high internal moisture

-heating produces steam & the grain explodes, turning the endosperm inside out

Flour corn

has soft endosperm, easy to grind, but easily attacked by insects

Dent corn

has soft starch in the center, hard on outside, used for animal feed, corn meal, corn starch, & high fructose corn syrup

Sweet corn

Endosperm contains sugar instead of starch & this type of corn is eaten immaturely

Hybrid corn

seeds from a cross of 2 inbred lines; more pest resistant & more productive

Tillers

secondary stems growing from the base of the main stem; important for grain production

Culm

upright stem; usually surrounded by sheaths in grasses

Stolons/Runners

horizontal stems that spread the grass

Tassels

inflorescence or group of male flowers at the end of the corn stem

Ear

inflorescence of female flowers on a lateral branch of a corn

Silk

the individual stigmas of each female flower on a corn, each attached to an ovule