A stalk roll may be configured to be mounted upon a stalk roll drive shaft of a corn harvesting header, wherein the stalk roll drive shaft has a generally square cross-sectional shape. The stalk roll may comprise a main cylinder with a plurality of flutes extending radially from the main cylinder along the length of the main cylinder. A taper may be positioned toward the front end of the main cylinder. The flutes may be configured such that a bladeless area on each of two stalk rolls of an opposing pair cooperate to form at stalk engagement gap in at least one moment in time per revolution of the stalk rolls.