In this study,the lateral growth and development of glumes cells in different varieties of rice（large grain varieties,conventional varieties,Arabica varieties,and long grain varieties） was systematically observed using of the paraffin sectioning technique.The differences of rice glumes horizontal cells in both morphological and cytological between the varieties were compared and analyzed.The results showed that the cells structure of glumes was not different among varieties of rice.However,there were difference rice in the number of vascular bundles and structure levels of cell among varieties.In all varieties,rice palea and lemma cells structure differed,i.e.,palea contained bar boundary organization,the lemma did not.The division process of inner thin-walled cells of glumes was basically the same in different varieties of rice.The number of inner parenchyma cells reached a certain number before the sporogenous cell stage.Cell division continued and basically completed to the early stage the palea and lemma inner thin-walled cells division of microspore.But the number of inner parenchyma cells of glumes were significant different between different varieties at the same developmental stage.The thin-walled cells lateral widening growth process of rice glumes of different varieties was basically the same.The cell width increased slowly before meiosis stage,followed by the cell width increased rapidly,but the cell width in the different periods of growth and development of speed varied with varieties.Comprehensive analysis of the numbers and widths of the inner parenchyma glumes cells of four rice varieties rice,the number of cells was a major factor that affected the difference of the width of the lemma piece among varieties.