Triticum monococcum

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms 45–80 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; (2.5–)3–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes (tardily); flattened; glabrous on margins, or pubescent on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; falling with spikelet above.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1(–2) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 6–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled all along; 5–9 -veined. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume oblong; 6–8 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled all along; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins divergent at apex. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–10 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 9–11 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (30–)60–80 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped; 1 in number.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, northeast tropical, and southern tropical. Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Turk 1993.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.