Rice
Videos
Rice is a cereal grain and, in its domesticated form, is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Africa and Asia. Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa —or
Rice plant (Oryza sativa) with branched panicles containing many grains on each stem
Rice grains of different varieties at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Anatomy of rice flowers: spikelet (left), plant with tillers (centre), caryopsis (top right), panicle (right)
Detail of rice plant showing flowers grouped in panicle. Male anthers protrude into the air where they can disperse their pollen.
Cereal
Videos
A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize. Edible grain
Harvesting a cereal with a combine harvester accompanied by a tractor and trailer.
Cereal grains: (top) pearl millet, rice, barley (middle) sorghum, maize, oats (bottom) millet, wheat, rye, triticale
Threshing of grain in ancient Egypt
Roman harvesting machine