Question about corn color/pattern genetics

Is there a correct word or term for genetic traits carried by the mother side of the plant?  I'm coming up with mitochondrial DNA, but not sure if that's correct in this application?

I'm trying to learn what makes every kernel on an entire ear of corn the same color or color pattern, even though the pollen can be from many differing colors.  I presume it's got to do with the specific mother plant "overriding" for a lack of a better term, the visible differences from the male donors.  Is this only possible through the mother lineage?  

For example, I have some unique (dent) corn in which the entire ears have a sort of gradient color pattern from top to bottom of the kernels, giving the entire ear a consistent color pattern throughout.  Now, I'm certain they were open pollinated in a field with other "Indian" corn of flint/flour/dent makeup.  The same goes for the solid purple (burgundy) flint type ear that had purple cob & purple husk.  A solid color/pattern even though it was grown with other colors.

I remember reading on here about someone that was trying to grow all the seeds from a solid black kerneled ear, & only one plant produced the black he was hoping for.  

So, from what I'm understanding, each of these kernels will carry the maternal trait for patterning and is a recessive trait.  As such, it won't likely exhibit the patterning consistently unless the population is refined (inbred) into more & more chance of double recessive, then expanded out again?  Is it as simple as the color of the pericarp being dominant?  I'm a bit confused about this, but am wanting to learn more about it.

I may be way off on this, but I'm open to other ideas as well.
 

If I have this right, the color of the endosperm results from the combination of the ova and pollen, so the father's genes matter. But the pericarp is entirely maternal tissue, unaffected by the pollen-donor. The pericarp can be essentially opaque, masking all paternal traits, or it can be translucent, sometimes showing off the color of the underlying endosperm. So you have to really get to know the kernels to know whether they're revealing paternal traits.

In general, the way fruit look/taste/act are entirely down to the mother's DNA (and so I'm not sure fi there's a word for that default state), but the effect of the paternal genetics on the seed's traits is called the Xenia effect.

Color arises in 4 different areas of a corn kernel, listed from most superficial to deepest. The color of a superficial layer may hide the deeper colors.

Sap Color: A maternal only trait -- A water soluble purple pigment in the sap of the plant colors every tissue in the kernel, cob, and leaves. Tones of purple which appear black at high concentrations. This trait can overwhelm any other colors. Offspring may or may not inherit this trait.  If a kernel carries this trait only from a pollen donor, it won't show up until the next generation. When homogeneous, this trait tends to harm productivity of the population.

Pericarp: The seed coat. Maternal tissue only -- tones of pink, rust, orange carried in transparent tissue. Chin-marking or color-gradients form in this layer. Offspring may or may not inherit this trait. If a kernel carries this trait only from a pollen donor, it won't show up until the next generation. The fickle nature of this trait, makes it difficult to stabilize.

Aleurone: A single layer of transparent cells immediately adjacent to the seed coat. Color changes based on the pollen donor.  Tones of blue and gray.  Triploid tissue, therefore final color depends on three sets of genes. Some offspring will inherit this trait.

Endosperm: The deepest layer.  Tones of white, yellow, or orange. Triploid tissue, therefore color depends on three sets of genes. Some offspring will inherit this trait.

See also: https://permies.com/t/116092/Xenia-Effect-corn#944946