Corn Kernel

Corn kernel

Corn kernels are the fruits of maize. Maize is a grain, and the kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable or a source of starch. A kernel comprises endosperm, germ, pericarp, and tip cap.

Maize

Maize, also known as corn, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. The leafy stalk of the plant gives rise to male inflorescences or tassels which produce pollen, and female inflorescences called ears. The ears yield grain, known as kernels or seeds. In modern commercial varieties, these are usually yellow or white; other varieties can be of many colors. Maize was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native Americans planted it alongside beans and squashes in the Three Sisters polyculture.

Maize (color)

The shade maize or corn refers to a specific tone of yellow; it is named for the cereal of the same name—maize. In public usage, maize can be applied to a variety of shades, ranging from light yellow to a dark shade that borders on orange, since the color of maize may vary.

corn

Noun

1. Any cereal plant (or its grain) that is the main crop or staple of a country or region.
2. Maize, a grain crop of the species Zea mays.

Verb

1. To granulate; to form (a substance) into grains.
2. To preserve using coarse salt, e.g. corned beef.

kernel

Noun

1. The core, center, or essence of an object or system.
2. The central (usually edible) part of a nut, especially once the hard shell has been removed.

Verb

1. To enclose within a kernel
2. To crenellate