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Rice refers
to two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza
glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and
subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and
to Africa, which together provide more than
one fifth of the calories consumed by
humans.
The term
"wild rice" can refer to wild species of
Oryza, but conventionally refers to species
of the related genus Zizania, both wild and
domesticated.) Rice is an annual plant,
growing to 1–1.8 m tall, occasionally more,
with long slender leaves 50–100 cm long and
2–2.5 cm broad. The small wind-pollinated
flowers are produced in a branched arching
to pendulous inflorescence 30–50 cm long.
The seed is a grain (caryopsis) 5–12 mm long
and 2–3 mm thick. |
