TRITICUM

Triticum L., Sp. Pl. 1: 85. 1753; Gen. Pl. 5: 37. 1754; Boiss., Fl. Or. 5: 672; 1884; Tutin et al., Fl. Eur. 5: 202. 1980; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 678. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 41. 1989; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 442; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 596.

Annuals. Culms usually erect, rarely decumbent at base. Leaf blades flat; leaf sheath almost split to base; ligule membranous. Inflorescence a simple, distichous, linear, oblong or ovate spike; rachis tough or fragile. Spikelets solitary at nodes, sessile, laterally compressed, (2-) 3-5 (-9)-flowered, the upper 1 or 2 florets sterile; rachilla without joints. Glumes subequal, firm, chartaceous, rarely membranous, shorter than lemma, ovate, oblong or elliptic, +/- keeled, 3-11(-13)-nerved with 1 or 2 nerves raised as keels, apex obliquely truncate, awnless or shortly-awned. Lemmas coriaceous, broadly oblong or ovate, ventricose, rounded on the back, keeled above, keels scabrid, 7-11(-15)-nerved, awned or awnless. Palea membranous, slightly 2-keeled, keels ciliate. Lodicules 2, ciliate at margin. Stamens 3. Styles 2; stigmas 2, plumose. Caryopsis ovate or oblong, deeply furrowed, apex +/- hairy.

5 species

Triticum aestivum

Triticum aestivum L., Sp. Pl. ed.1: 85. 1753; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 679. 1960; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 443; T. sativum Lam., Fl. Franc. 3: 625. 1779; T. vulgare Vill., Hist. Pl. Dauphine 2: 153. 1787.

Annuals. Culms 1-5, usually erect, hollow, 60-150 cm long, bearing up to 6 nodes, nodes glabrous or pubescent. Leaf blades linear, flat, 10-35 cm x 0.4-1.5 cm, usually glabrous, sometimes ciliate at base; leaf sheath glabrous, sparsely ciliate near mouth; ligule short, membranous. Inflorescence a simple, linear-oblong or ovate spike, spike lax or dense, usually narrowed distally, square or subsquare in cross section, 5-18 cm long with up to 30 spikelets, 2-5 spikelets rudimentary and sterile; rachis disarticulating or tough and not disarticulating, margin ciliate. Spikelets solitary, sessile, laterally compressed, ovate, 10-15 mm x 9-18 mm, 4-9-flowered with distal florets reduced and sterile. Glumes firm, coriaceous, equal, similar, 6-11 mm long, shorter than spikelet, ovate or elliptic, keeled above, winged on keel, keel scabrous, 9-13(or more)-nerved with 1 or 2 nerves raised on keel, keel sometimes prolonged into short tooth at apex; tooth apex subobtuse or acute or tapering into short awn; surface glabrous or pubescent. Fertile lemmas coriaceous, ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 12-15 mm long, pubescent or glabrous, rounded on back, keeled above, 7-11-nerved, apex acute, muticous or 1-awned, awn up to 13 cm long. Palea subequalling lemma, membranous, 2-nerved, 2-keeled, keels winged, ciliolate. Lodicules 2. Stamens 3; anthers ca. 4.5 mm long, oblong. Ovary pubescent at apex. Stigmas 2, plumose. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp, oblong or ovate, 5-7 mm long, deeply furrowed, apex +/- hairy.

Flowering and Fruiting: March to April
Common Names: Wheat, Bread Wheat, Common Wheat; Gehun (Hindi), Kanak (Punjabi)