POLISH WHEAT 235 



In each group Seringe mentions several " variations," but these are now 

 entirely lost. Early specimens I have seen in various herbaria, and several of 

 the figures given by Seringe belonging to Groups i and 2 have narrow regular 

 ears, and empty glumes intermediate in length between the typical long- 

 glumed T. polonicum and T. durum ; I have little doubt that these are of hybrid 

 origin. 



It is probable that T. polonicum originated as a mutation of T. durum, or as a 

 race resulting from the hybridisation of the latter with some other wheat, and 

 may have been specially unstable and subject to further mutation or natural 

 hybridisation in Seringe's day. 



Branching of the ear is uncommon in T. polonicum, but occurs occasionally ; 

 Seringe's deformatum shows this character, and Bayle-Barelle (Mon. agr. Cer. 

 38, t. 2, Fig. 8) figures a proliferous ear under the title " T. polonicum hybridum 

 horti ticinensis " ; Metzger also describes and figures a compound ear of this 

 species. 



Glumes white, glabrous ; ear cylindrical ; awns short. 



T. polonicum, var. incertum, Korn. Handb. d. Getr. i. 100 (1885). 

 T. polonicum oblongum, var. J., Ser. Cer. eur. 147 (185) (1841). 

 The ears are long and cylindrical, the spikelets wide apart and adpressed to 

 the rachis. 



Glumes white, glabrous ; ear quadrate ; awns short. 



T. polonicum, var. submuticum, Link. Hort. Berol. i. 28 (1827). 



T. polonicum, D., Metzger. Eur. Cer. 25, t. 5, B., C. (1824). 



T. polonicum aristis brevibus, Krause. Getr. Heft iv. 5, t. 2, B. (1836). 



Of this variety Metzger gives the following characters : 



Straw, tall, 110-120 cm. (about 44-48 inches) high, solid, striated, yellowish- 

 white ; leaves 15-17 cm. long, 1-5 cm. wide. 



Ears, 12-15 cm. (4-75-6 inches) long, lax, 4-sided, compressed, tapering 

 towards the apex ; spikelets 20-24, 25-30 mm. long, 18-20 mm. wide, 2- to 3- 

 grained, with short awns 1-5-5 cm. l n g- 



Empty glume, 2-5 cm. long, with six prominent nerves and two teeth, one 

 longer than the other ; flowering glumes as long as the empty glume with a short 

 awn and many nerves ; palea half as long as the flowering glume. 



Grain, long, pointed, smooth, pale greyish- white, flinty. 



Glumes white, glabrous ; ear flattened, short, compact ; awns short. 



T. polonicum, var. compactum, Link. Hort. Berol. i. 28 (1827). 

 T. polonicum, E., Metzger. Eur. Cer. 25, t. V. Fig. C. (1824). 

 T. polonicum compactum, Krause. Getr. Heft iv. 7, Taf. 2, C., D. (1*836). 

 T. polonicum compactum, var. M., Ser. Cer. eur. 148 (186) (1841). 

 Metzger states that this variety is grown in Granada, and notes that in wet 

 years it produces very little grain. 



The following description is from Metzger : 



