In
Poaceae, the grass
family, a spikelet consists of two (or sometimes fewer)
bracts at the base, called
glumes, followed by one or more florets. surrounded by two bracts, one external (the
lemma) and one internal (the
palea). The
perianth is reduced to two scales, called
lodicules, The market grade of an oat crop is based on the color of the lemma, whether it be white, gray, yellow, brown, black, or red.
Lodicule A
lodicule is the structure that consists of between one and three small scales at the base of the ovary in a grass flower that represent the
corolla, believed to be a rudimentary
perianth. The swelling of the lodicules forces apart the flower's
bracts, exposing the flower's reproductive organs. ==See also==