Structure and process of pollination of maize [zea mays]

The maize has male and female flowers separated on the same plant and it is therefore monoecious.
The male flowers are contained in panicle of inflorescence in the uppermost part of the plant and are made up of several spikelets. The spikelets are arranged in pairs on the main axis.
A single spikelet consists of two green bracts or glumes which becomes brown when matured. One of the flowers marures before the other. At maturity, the pales(i.e 2 sets of the flowers each covered by 2 smaller bracts) open with three long stamen hanging freely in the air. At the base of the stamen 2 small structures called iodicles(there are no petals and sepals). The iodicles only help to open the pales when they swell.

The male flowers mature before the female flowers therefore self pollination does not occur. The slightest wind shakes the anther which releases a cloud of pollen grains which is carried by wind to land on a mature sticky stigma of another maize plant
The female flowers are borne in a cob which has numerous green bracts called husk covering the spikelets of flowers inside. A spikelet has a pair of glumes with a flower made up of an ovary with a long style ending in hairy stigma and two iodicles. The second flower in the flame is sterile
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