Stock Photo - Farm of Maize. Family: Poaceae. Genus: Zea. Species: Z. mays. The stems superficially resemble bamboo canes and the joints (nodes) are about 20–30 cm (8–12 in) apart. Maize has a very distinct growth form, the lower leaves being like broad flags, 50–100 cm long and 5–10 cm wide (2–4 ft by 2–4 in); the stems are erect, conventionally 2–3 m (7–10 ft) in height, with many nodes, casting off flag_leaves at every node. Under these leaves and close to the stem grow the ears.The ears are female inflorescences, tightly covered over by several layers of leaves, and so closed_in by them to the stem that they do not show themselves easily until the emergence of the pale yellow silks from the leaf whorl at the end of the ear. The silks are elongated stigmas that look like tufts of hair, at first green, and later red or yellow. Maize planted individually develops 2 to 4 ears. Modern farming techniques in developed countries usually rely on dense planting, which produces on average only about 0.9 ears per stalk because it stresses the plants. [1] Plantings for silage are even denser, and achieve an even lower percentage of ears and more plant matter. Certain varieties of maize have been bred to produce additional developed ears, and these are the source of the ´baby corn´ that is used as a vegetable in Asian cuisine.The apex of the stem ends in the tassel, an inflorescence of male flowers. Each silk may become pollinated to produce one kernel of corn. Young ears can be consumed raw, with the cob and silk, but as the plant matures (usually during the summer months) the cob becomes tougher and the silk dries to inedibility. The kernel of corn has a pericarp of the fruit fused with the seed coat, typical of the grasses. It is close to a multiple fruit in structure, except that the individual fruits (the kernels) never fuse into a single mass. The grains are about the size of peas, and adhere in regular rows round a white pithy substance, which forms the ear. An ear contains from two to four hundred grains, and is from 10–25 cm (4–10 in) in length. They are of various colors: blackish, bluish_gray, red, white and yellow. When ground into flour, maize yields more flour, with much less bran, than wheat does. However, it lacks the protein gluten of wheat and therefore makes baked goods with poor rising capability. A genetic variation that accumulates more sugar and less starch in the ear is consumed as a vegetable and is called sweetcorn. Mulshi, Pune, Maharashtra, India