Final answer:
The silk on a corn ear is the stigma and style of the female flower of the corn plant, which capture pollen for fertilization to produce corn kernels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The silk on an ear of corn is part of the corn's reproductive organ. In botanical terms, these silks are the stigmas and styles of the carpellate (female) flowers of the corn plant (Zea mays), which is a type of grass. When we look at the structure of a corn plant, we find that it has both staminate (male) and carpellate (female) flowers. The male flowers are found in the tassel at the top of the corn plant and release pollen.
The female flowers, which develop into the corn kernels we eat, are clustered in the ears, protected by husks, and each ear is connected to the plant’s stem. Each strand of silk corresponds to a single ovary, which, if fertilized by pollen, will develop into a kernel of corn. These silks are crucial for the plant's pollination process, as they capture pollen grains from the male flowers that are carried by the wind.