310 



THE WHEAT PLANT 



and either glabrous or clothed with soft hairs. Those of the lateral 

 spikelets are 8-9 mm. long, 5- to 6-nerved, and unsymmetrical, measuring 

 from 3 to 4 mm. from the midrib to the outer margin, and 1-1-5 mm - to tne 

 inner margin. In beardless varieties the apical tooth of the empty glume 

 is bluntish and from -5 to 1-5 mm. long ; in bearded varieties it is generally 

 prolonged into a fine awn usually not more than 5 mm. long, though 

 occasionally reaching a length of 3 cm. In most forms the midrib or keel 

 1234567 



9 10 ii 12 13 14 



FIG. 191. Empty glumes of Club wheat (T. compactum) ( x 2). 



is not prominent except in the upper half of the glumes, the basal half 

 of the latter being rounded with only a slight indication of the central 

 nerve ; some Asiatic forms, however, are keeled from the tip to the base. 

 The various forms of empty glume are illustrated in Fig. 191. 



The flowering glumes are inflated, about 100 mm. long, 7- to 10- 

 nerved, the parts covered by the empty glume being thin and pale in 

 colour ; in bearded varieties the flowering glumes terminate in scabrid 

 awns 5-9 cm. long, which in some forms diverge widely. 



The palea is of the ordinary bicarinate form. 



