Triticum sphaerococcum

HABIT Annual. Culms 70–100 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–16 cm long; 12–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; oblong; bilateral; 4–6 cm long. Rhachis tough; flattened; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes oblong.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10 mm long; persistent on plant.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 8–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled above; 5–9 -veined. Lower glume apex with a unilateral tooth. Upper glume ovate; 8–12 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled above; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins divergent at apex. Upper glume apex with a unilateral tooth.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9–11 -veined. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–20 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid, or orbicular; 4–5.5 mm long; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Iran 1993.

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