Grain

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The grain is the seed of the rice plant, a fertilized and ripened ovule containing a live embryo capable of germinating to produce a new plant. It is composed of the ripened ovary, the lemma and palea, the rachilla, the sterile lemmas, and the awn (not always present). The lemma and palea and their associated structures constitute the hull or husk. The embryo lies at the ventral side of the spikelet next to the lemma and contains the embryonic root. The rest of the grain consists largely of endosperm (the edible portion), containing starch, proteins, sugar, fats, crude fiber, and inorganic matter.