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GRASSES OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Heather Stewart, Richard Hebda Major Groups of Grasses Table of Contents Glossary Triticum Wheat This genus is probably the most famous grass of all due to its continued cultivation for flour. Occasionally it is planted as a roadside cover, or it escapes from cultivation, but it rarely persists for more than a few seasons. There are estimated to be 15 species of Old World wheat, but there are numerous cultivars.   Triticum aestivum L. Common Wheat Plant: Triticum aestivum is an introduced species that grows to 1.5 m tall. It is an annual or winter annual, with hollow stems. The spikelike flowerhead has one 1-2-cm-long spikelet per node. Leaves and Stem: The smooth, open sheaths have well-developed auricles, and the membranelike ligules are 1 mm long. The leaves are flat and 5-20 mm wide. Flowerhead and Flowers: The flowerhead is a spike and it is 5-12 cm long. Spikekets are two- to five-flowered with firm, keeled glumes that may be blunt or have an awn. The broad lemmas may be keeled and have several obvious non-convergent nerves. These nerves may in fact be a different colour of green, and give the impression of being painted on the lemma. The lemmas may be awnless to long-awned. Habitat: Wheat occurs along roadsides and in fallow fields. In the Columbia Basin it grows along the roadside at Grand Forks. Similar species: Wheat appears very distinct from any of the native grasses, but it is difficult to determine the type of wheat, as some are awned and others have a beardless phase.

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