POLISH WHEAT 233 



at the base of each spikelet. The spikelets are large, flattened, 3-4 cm. 

 long, consisting of four or five flowers, of which two (or three) only 

 produce grain, the others having anthers devoid of pollen and imperfectly 

 developed ovaries. 



The empty glumes are glabrous or pubescent, the hairs in the latter 

 case usually very short and easily overlooked ; they are as long as, or 

 slightly longer than, the rest of the spikelet, 2-4 cm. long, lanceolate, 

 and narrow, each measuring 4-5 mm. across its outer, wider, and convex 

 half, and 2-5-3 mm - across the inner concave half, which is closely ad- 

 pressed to the former. 



They are fringed along the keel and possess 8-10 nerves, 5 or 6 on the 

 outer broad half, 2 or 3 on the inner half, and a central nerve, which 

 terminates on the short primary tooth -5-3 mm. long ; the secondary 

 tooth is very short or altogether absent (Fig. 147). 



The flowering glumes of the two lowest flowers are from 2 to 3 cm. long 

 and 8-10 mm. broad, the upper ones being much shorter ; they are boat- 

 shaped, rounded on the back with 15-17 nerves, their membranous edges 

 fringed with short hairs. 



Those of the two lowest flowering glumes of the spikelet are bearded, 

 each awn being 7-12 cm. long, frequently with a kink or bend in the basal 

 portion ; the awns of the upper flowering glumes are either very short, 

 measuring not more than about 5 mm. long, or are entirely missing. 



The paleae are only i'2-i'5 cm. long, even in the lower flowers, whose 

 flowering glumes are about twice this length ; they are of the usual 

 bicarinate lanceolate form, with a slightly divided tip, and possess 4 

 nerves. 



The thin rachilla is convex, with fine hairs on one side and flat and 

 more or less glabrous on the other. 



The grains, which are the largest of all wheats, are yellowish- white, 

 or pale red with flinty endosperm ; they are long and narrow, measuring 

 11-12 mm. long and 4 mm. broad (Figs. 148, 149). 



VARIETIES OF T. polonicum, L. 



1. Glumes white, glabrous ; awns short. 



a. Ears cylindrical ...... var. incertum, Korn. 



b. Ears quadrate ..... var. submuticum, Link. 



c. Ears flattened, compact. 



i. Short ears ..... var. compactum, Link, 



ii. Long ears ..... var. elongatum, Korn. 



2. Glumes white, glabrous ; awns long. 



a. Ear quadrate. 



i. Grain white ..... var. levissimum, Korn. 



ii. Grain red ..... var. chrysospermum, Korn. 



