玉蜀黍屬

Zea mays leaf cs section Credit: cs kuoh

Annuals or perennials; culms robust, solid. Leaves broad. Plant monoecious. Staminate inflorescence terminal, consisting of 1-numerous spike-like racemes; racemes racemosely arranged on all sides of the main axis. Pistillate inflorescence apparently axillary, but in reality at the apex of very short, many-noded branche, the leaves of which serve as spathes subtending the inflorescence and the mature grain-bearing “cob”, consisting of stout, spongy axis, which bears the spikelets in densely arranged even numbered (8-30) vertical rows, in pairs or triads (1 of a pair or triad short-pedicelled, the other long pedicelled). Staminate spikelets dorsally compressed, 2-flowered, persistent after anthesis; glumes as long as spikelet; lemmas very thin, both paleate; lodicules 2, fleshy, cuneate; stamens 2, anthers linear. Pistillate spikelets subsessile, in pairs, glumes broad, truncate or emarginate at the apex, base fleshy and margins membranous; lower lemma hyaline, paleate; upper lemma and palea hyaline; lodicules wanting; ovary ovoid, the style very long with a shortly 2-armed apex. Caryopsis large, usually protruding.

One important cereal species, Z. mays is commonly cultivated in Taiwan.

Lower Taxon

• Zea mays L.