COMMON BREAD WHEAT 283 



distributed and includes a large number of forms, most of which are Spring and 

 Winter wheats with lax, compressed ears, and grain of high quality. Over 200 

 examples of it have been collected and grown at Reading, these coming from 

 every country where wheat is cultivated. 



As in the case of the corresponding white-chaffed var. erythrospermum, the 

 commonest forms possess lax, compressed ears ; dense-eared forms are excep- 

 tionally rare in this variety. 



1 . Very early forms from Northern India and Persia ; they come into ear 

 at Reading about the end of May. 



Young shoots, erect. 



Straw, short, slender, 70-85 cm. (28-34 inches) high ; leaves yellow-green. 



Ear, 7'5-9'5 long, almost square in section, 10-12 mm. across the face ; awns 

 4-7 cm. long, scout at the base, brittle; spikelets 16, elongated; D = 16-20 

 (Ear type i, Fig. 176). 



Empty glume, rigid, 9-10 mm. long, keeled to near the base ; apical tooth 

 2-3 mm. long (14, 20, 21, Fig. 165). 



Grain, flinty, well-filled, 7-5-7*9 mm. long, 3-7 mm. broad, 3-5 mm. thick. 



2. Forms similar to the preceding, with ears 9-11 cm. long, spikelets over- 

 lapping, and density 20-25, are frequent in Persia, Central Asia, and India ; van 

 Niekirk's wheat received from the Transvaal belongs to these. 



3. Spelt-like early forms from Bokhara, Turkestan, and other parts of 

 Central Asia. 



Young shoots, erect. 



Straw, stout, rigid, of medium height, 100 cm. (about 40 inches) high ; 

 leaves yellow-green. 



Ear, long, lax, 10-12 cm. long, somewhat square, 10 mm. across the face 

 and side ; awns rigid, 6-8 cm. long ; spikelets 16-18, narrow, elongated, 2- to 

 3-grained ; D = 16-20 (Ear types i, 2, Fig. 173). 



Empty glume, rigid, 10 mm. long, keeled to the base, apex usually broad with 

 prominent lateral nerve ; apical tooth acute (4, 6, Fig. 165). 



Grain, flinty or semi-flinty, 6-8-7 mm. long, 3-6 mm. broad, 3 mm. thick. 



4. Barletta. An early form received from Spain, Argentina, and Para- 

 guay ; it comes into ear at Reading about the first week in June. 



Young shoots, erect. 



Straw, tall, 118-132 cm. (47-52 inches) high ; leaves glaucous. 



Ear, long, lax, 10-12 cm. long, almost square in section, 10-12 mm. across 

 the face and side ; awns 8-9 cm. long ; spikelets 18-21, elongated ; D = 19 (Ear 

 type 2, Fig. 173). 



Empty glume, pale red, 8-10 mm. long, rigid, keeled to the base ; apical 

 tooth or awns 2-5 mm. long ; lateral nerve prominent (14, 15, Fig. 165). 



Grain, semi-flinty, apex narrow, 6-7 mm. long, 3-5 mm. broad, 3-2 mm. thick. 



5. Somewhat similar are several forms received from Spain with more rigid 

 ears and glumes, and longer, flinty grain, 8 mm. long, 3-5 mm. broad, 3-25 mm. 

 thick. 



