 Glume

A glume is one of the usually paired bracts at the base of a grass spikelet. Individual florets inside have their associated lemma and palea.^[ref]

Inspect from outside inward: locate the glumes, open the spikelet, then examine its florets. A hypothetical three-floret spikelet can have two basal glumes: the number of enclosing bracts need not equal the number of flowers.