Ear (botany) Ear (botany) An ear is the grain-bearing tip part of the stem of a cereal plant, such as wheat or maize. It can also refer to "a prominent lobe in some leaves". The ear is a spike, consisting of a central stem on which tightly packed rows of flowers grow. These develop into fruits containing the edible seeds. In corn, it is protected by leaves called husks. In some species (including wheat), unripe ears contribute significantly to photosynthesis, in addition to the leaves lower down the plant. A parasite known as "Anguina tritici" (Ear Cockle) specifically affects the ears on
Annals of Botany two volumes before ceasing. Annals of Botany Annals of Botany is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal, founded in 1887, that publishes research articles, brief communications, and reviews in all areas of botany. The journal is supported and managed by Annals of Botany Company, a non-profit educational charity, and published through Oxford University Press. According to the 2011 "Journal Citation Reports" it has an impact factor of 4.041, in 2016 ranking 22nd out of 211 in the category Plant Sciences. There was an earlier periodical "Annals of Botany" edited by Carl Dietrich Eberhard König (Charles Konig) and John Sims which started