Triticum aestivum

Erect, robust, often glaucous annual with culms to 1.5 m high. Leaves rather few, smooth and glabrous (sheath of lower leaves often finely pubescent); blade flat, 12–35 cm long, 5–15 mm wide; ligule truncate, membranous, 1–2 mm long; auricles narrowly falcate and encircling the stem or occasionally lacking. Inflorescence a rather dense, more or less 4-sided spike, 5–15 cm long (excluding awns); rachis glabrous except along lateral angles. Spikelets 7–15 mm long (excluding awns) and about as wide, 3–6-flowered (usually maturing 2 or 3 grains); glumes equal, truncate, 6–10 mm long, the midvein strongly keeled toward the apex, sometimes exserted as a mucro or a scabrous awn to 2 cm long; lemma resembling glumes but, when awned, the awns usually longer (to 12 cm); palea subequal to body of lemma. Flowers Sep.–May