An ear is the grain-bearing tip part of the stem of a cereal plant, such as wheat or maize.
The ear is a spike, consisting of a central stem on which grows tightly packed rows of flowers. These develop into fruits containing the edible seeds.
In some species (including wheat), unripe ears contribute significantly to photosynthesis, in addition to the leaves lower down the plant.
 |
This botany article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
