The Omnivore's Dilemma has a lot to say about the reproductive qualities of corn plants: 

"Maize is self-fertilized and wind-pollinated, botanical terms that don't begin to describe the beauty and wonder of corn sex ... The mechanics of corn sex, and in particular the great distance over open space corn pollen must travel to complete its mission, go a long way toward accounting for the success of maize's alliance with humankind." (p. 28-29)

And I thought corn was a modest plant.