husks

Husks are the protective outer coverings surrounding seeds or fruits in many plants. They are typically dry, fibrous, or papery and are shed or loosened as seeds mature. The term is commonly used for the outer layers that encase cereal grains, fruits, or seeds, and does not refer to the edible kernel itself.

In botany, the husk is part of the plant’s protective structures. For grasses and cereals, the husk can include multiple layers that enclose the grain. In maize (corn) the husk is the leafy outer covering of the ear. In other cereals the outer shell around the seed is called the hull or husk, depending on the species and regional usage. The seed coat (testa) and the pericarp are related structures but are distinct from the husk in many cases.

Agricultural processing often removes husks. Threshing separates grain from the rest of the spike or ear; hulling or dehusking removes the husk from the seed. The husk itself may be used afterward: rice husks are used as fuel, bedding, or soil amendment, and rice husk ash has industrial applications; coconut husk fibers (coir) are used in mats, brushes, and horticultural products.

Culinary contexts sometimes use husks as wrappers rather than for consumption. Corn husks are used to wrap foods such as tamales in many cuisines. Some plants, such as Physalis species, produce a papery husk around the fruit; the edible part is inside while the husk is discarded.