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
Discodermia calyx species, among others with similar toxins, became increasingly studied and important in medicine, particularly relating to chemotherapy. In a later study, scientist concluded that the calyculin A, from "D. calyx," also blocks calcium influx by blocking non-selective ion channels in the cell. Later research looked into "D. calyx" as a species to look at the natural mechanisms that can be used to regulate the toxicity of calyculin A. Scientist found regulation through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. These among other studies focus on regulation of the toxin as a characteristic of the sponge Discodermia Calyx because of its implications in the fight