Carbohydrate-rich grains

Morphological characteristics of barley:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm consisting of several nodes and internodes
Leaves:
Leaf blades flat, linear, and parallel-veined, usually with a rough surface. Leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Leaf auricles (auriculae):
Long, sickle-shaped, non-ciliate auricles that largely to almost completely clasp the culm
Ligule (ligula):
Short to medium-sized, membranous, with a finely toothed or irregularly incised upper margin
Spike:
Terminal spike consisting of spikelets arranged in groups of three at each node of the rachis
The number of fertile spikelets determines whether the barley is two-row or six-row 
- Two-row barley:
At each node of the rachis, only the central spikelet is fertile, while the two lateral spikelets are sterile or strongly reduced
This results in two rows of grains
The spike is generally relatively narrow and flattened 
- Six-row barley:
At each node of the rachis, all three spikelets are fertile, resulting in six rows of grains
This results in four or six rows of grains, with the six-row form representing the typical multi-row barley
This makes the spike appear wider and sturdier 
Awns:
Very long and conspicuous, often extending well beyond the spike
Grain (caryopsis):
Elongated to elongated-ovoid, usually yellowish to yellowish-brown
In most cultivated barley forms, the caryopsis remains enclosed by the lemma and palea

Morphological characteristics of barley:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm consisting of several nodes and internodes
Leaves:
Leaf blades flat, linear, and parallel-veined, usually with a rough surface. Leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Leaf auricles (auriculae):
Long, sickle-shaped, non-ciliate auricles that largely to almost completely clasp the culm
Ligule (ligula):
Short to medium-sized, membranous, with a finely toothed or irregularly incised upper margin
Spike:
Terminal spike consisting of spikelets arranged in groups of three at each node of the rachis
The number of fertile spikelets determines whether the barley is two-row or six-row 
- Two-row barley:
At each node of the rachis, only the central spikelet is fertile, while the two lateral spikelets are sterile or strongly reduced
This results in two rows of grains
The spike is generally relatively narrow and flattened 
- Six-row barley:
At each node of the rachis, all three spikelets are fertile, resulting in six rows of grains
This results in four or six rows of grains, with the six-row form representing the typical multi-row barley
This makes the spike appear wider and sturdier 
Awns:
Very long and conspicuous, often extending well beyond the spike
Grain (caryopsis):
Elongated to elongated-ovoid, usually yellowish to yellowish-brown
In most cultivated barley forms, the caryopsis remains enclosed by the lemma and palea

Morphological characteristics of barley:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm consisting of several nodes and internodes
Leaves:
Leaf blades flat, linear, and parallel-veined, usually with a rough surface. Leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Leaf auricles (auriculae):
Long, sickle-shaped, non-ciliate auricles that largely to almost completely clasp the culm
Ligule (ligula):
Short to medium-sized, membranous, with a finely toothed or irregularly incised upper margin
Spike:
Terminal spike consisting of spikelets arranged in groups of three at each node of the rachis
The number of fertile spikelets determines whether the barley is two-row or six-row 
- Two-row barley:
At each node of the rachis, only the central spikelet is fertile, while the two lateral spikelets are sterile or strongly reduced
This results in two rows of grains
The spike is generally relatively narrow and flattened 
- Six-row barley:
At each node of the rachis, all three spikelets are fertile, resulting in six rows of grains
This results in four or six rows of grains, with the six-row form representing the typical multi-row barley
This makes the spike appear wider and sturdier 
Awns:
Very long and conspicuous, often extending well beyond the spike
Grain (caryopsis):
Elongated to elongated-ovoid, usually yellowish to yellowish-brown
In most cultivated barley forms, the caryopsis remains enclosed by the lemma and palea

Morphological characteristics of Oat:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm. The culm is divided into several nodes and internodes
Leaves:
Leaf blades are flat, linear to lanceolate, and parallel-veined. The leaf surface is often rough. The leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Auricles:
Auricles are largely absent or only weakly developed
Compared with barley, they are much less conspicuous and therefore represent an important diagnostic characteristic
Ligule:
The ligule is well developed, membranous, and relatively large. Its upper margin may be smooth, finely toothed, or irregularly incised
Inflorescence (panicle)
Terminal, loose and spreading panicle with branched lateral axes. The spikelets are borne individually on the branches of the panicle and are often nodding
This clearly distinguishes oat from cereal species with compact spikes, such as barley and wheat
Spikelets:
Spikelets are multi-flowered and enclosed by two large glumes. The individual florets possess a lemma and palea
The spikelets are comparatively large and loosely structured
Awns:
Awns may be present and arise particularly from the lemmas. They are often geniculate and twisted
Their development can vary depending on the cultivar and may be largely absent in certain forms
Grain (caryopsis):
The caryopsis is elongated to spindle-shaped and usually yellowish to yellowish-white
In hulled oat, the caryopsis remains firmly attached to the surrounding hulls and is enclosed by them
In naked oat, the hulls are largely separated from the grain during threshing

Morphological characteristics of rye:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow and slender culm. The culm is divided into several nodes and internodes
Leaves:
Leaf blades are flat, linear, parallel-veined, and usually rough. The leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Leaf auricles (auriculae):
Short, narrow, and sickle-shaped, usually glabrous or only sparsely ciliate
They only partially clasp the culm and are less strongly developed than those of barley
Ligule:
Short to medium-sized, membranous, and usually smooth to finely toothed. It is located at the junction between the leaf sheath and leaf blade
Spike:
Terminal, slender, and elongated spike with a clearly developed rachis. One spikelet is borne at each node of the rachis
Compared with wheat and barley, the spike is relatively narrow and loosely structured
Spikelet:
The spikelets are predominantly two-flowered and each is enclosed by two glumes
Awns:
Very long, slender, and conspicuous. They arise from the lemmas and extend well beyond the spikelets
The awns give the rye spike its characteristic bristly appearance
Grain (caryopsis):
Elongated to oblong-oval, often greyish-green to yellowish-brown in colour
The caryopsis has a distinct ventral crease
At maturity and during threshing, the glumes and other floral structures are largely separated

Morphological Characteristics of Triticale:

Scientific Note:
Triticale is a group of cereal crops that originated through hybridization between wheat (Triticum spp.) and rye (Secale spp.)
Due to its hybrid origin and the different breeding types, Triticale plants exhibit comparatively high morphological variability
Individual characteristics, particularly the development of awns, the spike, and the leaf organs, should therefore not be regarded as absolutely species-specific

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm. The culm is divided into several nodes and internodes
In terms of growth habit and culm structure, Triticale may exhibit characteristics intermediate between those of wheat and rye
Leaves:
Leaf blades are flat, linear to lanceolate, and parallel-veined. The leaf surface is often rough. The leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Auricles:
Well developed, usually sickle-shaped, and predominantly glabrous to sparsely ciliate. They partially to largely clasp the culm
The development of the auricles may vary depending on the genotype
Ligule:
Short to medium-sized, membranous, and usually smooth to finely toothed. Its shape and development may vary among different Triticale genotypes
Auricles:
Well developed, usually sickle-shaped, and predominantly glabrous to sparsely ciliate. They partially to largely clasp the culm 
The development of the auricles may vary depending on the genotype
Spikelets:
The spikelets are borne individually at the nodes of the rachis
They are multi-flowered and each is enclosed by two glume
Awns:
Awns may be present and vary in length and prominence depending on the genotype
In awned forms, they are clearly visible and may extend beyond the spikelet
Their development may exhibit characteristics resembling either wheat or rye
Grain (caryopsis):
Elongated to oblong-oval, usually yellowish to yellowish-brown. The shape, size, and colour may vary depending on the genotype
The caryopsis exhibits morphological characteristics that may resemble both wheat and rye
The degree to which the hulls remain attached to the caryopsis may also vary

Morphological characteristics of wheat:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, hollow culm. The culm consists of several nodes and internodes and may produce lateral shoots through tillering
Leaves:
Leaves alternate and arranged distichously; leaf blades flat, linear, and parallel-veined; leaf sheaths enclosing the culm
Leaf auricles:
Short, sickle-shaped and partially clasping the culm; distinctly ciliate
Key field identification characteristic: Short, distinctly ciliate leaf auricles.
Ligule (ligulae):
Membranous, relatively short, approximately 1–4 mm long, usually truncate and finely toothed or ciliate
Spike: (ear)
Terminal, distichous spike bearing numerous sessile spikelets; spikelets borne singly along the rachis and comprising several florets
Awns:
The ear may be awned or awnless; in awned varieties, the awns may be several centimetres long
Grain (caryopsis):
Grain oval to ellipsoid, with a longitudinal groove and a tuft of hairs at the apex; depending on the variety, the grains may be yellowish, yellowish-brown, reddish, or whitish in colour

Morphological characteristics of wheat:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, hollow culm. The culm consists of several nodes and internodes and may produce lateral shoots through tillering
Leaves:
Leaves alternate and arranged distichously; leaf blades flat, linear, and parallel-veined; leaf sheaths enclosing the culm
Leaf auricles:
Short, sickle-shaped and partially clasping the culm; distinctly ciliate
Key field identification characteristic: Short, distinctly ciliate leaf auricles.
Ligule (ligulae):
Membranous, relatively short, approximately 1–4 mm long, usually truncate and finely toothed or ciliate
Spike: (ear)
Terminal, distichous spike bearing numerous sessile spikelets; spikelets borne singly along the rachis and comprising several florets
Awns:
The ear may be awned or awnless; in awned varieties, the awns may be several centimetres long
Grain (caryopsis):
Grain oval to ellipsoid, with a longitudinal groove and a tuft of hairs at the apex; depending on the variety, the grains may be yellowish, yellowish-brown, reddish, or whitish in colour

Morphological characteristics of wheat:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, hollow culm. The culm consists of several nodes and internodes and may produce lateral shoots through tillering
Leaves:
Leaves alternate and arranged distichously; leaf blades flat, linear, and parallel-veined; leaf sheaths enclosing the culm
Leaf auricles:
Short, sickle-shaped and partially clasping the culm; distinctly ciliate
Key field identification characteristic: Short, distinctly ciliate leaf auricles.
Ligule (ligulae):
Membranous, relatively short, approximately 1–4 mm long, usually truncate and finely toothed or ciliate
Spike: (ear)
Terminal, distichous spike bearing numerous sessile spikelets; spikelets borne singly along the rachis and comprising several florets
Awns:
The ear may be awned or awnless; in awned varieties, the awns may be several centimetres long
Grain (caryopsis):
Grain oval to ellipsoid, with a longitudinal groove and a tuft of hairs at the apex; depending on the variety, the grains may be yellowish, yellowish-brown, reddish, or whitish in colour

Morphological characteristics of wheat:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, hollow culm. The culm consists of several nodes and internodes and may produce lateral shoots through tillering
Leaves:
Leaves alternate and arranged distichously; leaf blades flat, linear, and parallel-veined; leaf sheaths enclosing the culm
Leaf auricles:
Short, sickle-shaped and partially clasping the culm; distinctly ciliate
Key field identification characteristic: Short, distinctly ciliate leaf auricles.
Ligule (ligulae):
Membranous, relatively short, approximately 1–4 mm long, usually truncate and finely toothed or ciliate
Spike: (ear)
Terminal, distichous spike bearing numerous sessile spikelets; spikelets borne singly along the rachis and comprising several florets
Awns:
The ear may be awned or awnless; in awned varieties, the awns may be several centimetres long
Grain (caryopsis):
Grain oval to ellipsoid, with a longitudinal groove and a tuft of hairs at the apex; depending on the variety, the grains may be yellowish, yellowish-brown, reddish, or whitish in colour
The ear may be awned or awnless; in awned varieties, the awns may be several centimetres long
Grain (caryopsis):
Grain oval to ellipsoid, with a longitudinal groove and a tuft of hairs at the apex; depending on the variety, the grains may be yellowish, yellowish-brown, reddish, or whitish in colour

Morphological Characteristics of Durum Wheat:

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm. The culm is divided into several nodes and internodes
Tiller formation may result in several culms emerging from a single plant
Leaves:
Leaves are alternate and arranged in two rows (distichous). The leaf blades are flat, linear to lanceolate, and parallel-veined. The leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Auricles:
Short, sickle-shaped, and partially clasping the culm. The auricles are distinctly ciliate
Most important field characteristic: Short, short, distinctly ciliate auricles
Ligule:
Membranous and relatively short, usually about 1–4 mm long. The upper margin is is predominantly truncate and may be smooth to finely toothed
Spike:
Terminal, erect, elongated, and two-ranked. The spikelets are borne individually at the nodes of the rachis
Each spikelet contains several florets and is enclosed by two glumes
he spike is comparatively compact and possesses a robust, clearly developed rachis
Awns:
The spikes of durum wheat are typically awned. The awns are robust and may reach several centimetres in length
Their length and development may vary depending on the cultivar and genotype
Grain (caryopsis):
Caryopses are elongated to ellipsoidal, with a distinct ventral crease and a tuft of hairs at the distal end
The grain is characteristically hard and often exhibits a vitreous to translucent endosperm structure
The caryopses are predominantly yellowish to yellowish-brown
The intense yellow colour of the endosperm is associated with its comparatively high carotenoid content

Morphological characteristics of Emmer:

Scientific Note:
Emmer (Triticum dicoccum) belongs to the hulled wheats
A characteristic feature is the strong attachment of the caryopsis to the surrounding hulls, so that the grains do not separate completely from them during threshing
The combination of spike structure, glume characteristics, awns, and leaf characteristics allows for morphological characterization

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm
The culm is divided into several nodes and internodes and may produce several culms through tillering
Leaves:
Leaves are alternate and arranged in two rows (distichous). The leaf blades are flat, linear to lanceolate, and parallel-veined. The leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Auricles:
Short, sickle-shaped, and partially clasping the culm. The auricles are distinctly ciliate
Important field characteristic: short, distinctly ciliate auricles
Ligule:
Membranous and relatively short, usually about 1–4 mm long. The upper margin is predominantly truncate and may be smooth to finely toothed
Spike:
Terminal, erect, elongated, and two-ranked. The spikelets are borne individually at the nodes of the rachis and contain several florets
The spike is relatively compact and possesses a robust, clearly developed rachis
At maturity, the rachis breaks into individual segments, while the spikelets remain firmly enclosed by the glumes
Awns:
The spike is typically awned
The awns may reach several centimetres in length and arise from the lemmas
Their length and development may vary depending on the cultivar and genotype
Grain (caryopsis):
The caryopsis is oval to ellipsoidal, with a distinct longitudinal or ventral crease and a tuft of hairs at the distal end
In emmer, the caryopsis remains firmly enclosed by the lemma and palea after maturity
The grains may vary in colour from yellowish and yellowish-brown to reddish, depending on the genotype

Morphological characteristics of Spelt:

Scientific Note:
Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) belongs to the group of hulled wheats
A characteristic feature is the firm attachment of the caryopsis to the glumes, so that the grains do not separate completely from them during threshing

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow culm
The culm is divided by several nodes and internodes and may produce lateral shoots through tillering
Leaves:
Leaves alternate and arranged in two ranks. The leaf blades are flat, linear to lanceolate, parallel-veined, and have a rough surface. The leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Auriculae:
Short, sickle-shaped, partially clasping the culm, and distinctly ciliate
Important field characteristic: short, distinctly ciliate leaf auricles
Ligule:
Membranous and relatively short. The upper margin is predominantly truncate and may be smooth to finely toothed
Spike:
Terminal, erect to slightly nodding, elongated, and two-ranked. The spikelets are borne singly at the nodes of the rachis and contain several florets
The spike is comparatively long and loosely structured
At maturity, the rachis breaks into individual rachis segments, while the spikelets remain firmly enclosed by the hulls
Awns:
The spikelets may be awned or awnless
In awned forms, the awns arise from the lemmas and may be several centimetres long
However, their length and development vary depending on the cultivar or genotype
Grain (caryopsis):
Caryopsis elongated to elliptical, with a distinct ventral crease and a tuft of hairs at the distal end
In spelt, the caryopsis remains firmly enclosed by the lemma and palea after maturity
Depending on the genotype, the grains may range in color from yellowish to yellowish-brown to reddish

Morphological characteristics of Einkorn:

Scientific Note:
Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) is a diploid, annual spelt wheat species
After maturity, the caryopsis remains firmly attached to the surrounding hulls and is not completely released during threshing
A characteristic feature of einkorn is the development of only one fully developed grain per spikelet.

Growth habit:
Annual, tuft-forming grass with an erect, usually hollow and relatively slender culm
The culm is divided into several nodes and internodes. Tillering may result in several culms emerging from a single plant
Leaves:
Leaves are alternate and arranged in two rows (distichous). The leaf blades are flat, linear to lanceolate, and parallel-veined. The leaf sheaths enclose the culm
Auricles:
Short, sickle-shaped, and partially clasping the culm. The auricles are distinctly ciliate
Important field characteristic: short, distinctly ciliate leaf auricles
Ligule
Membranous and relatively short. The upper margin is predominantly truncate and may be smooth to finely toothed
Spike:
Terminal, erect, narrow, and elongated. The spikelets are borne individually at the nodes of the rachis and each is enclosed by two glumes
Each spikelet typically contains one fully developed caryopsis, while additional florets may be reduced or sterile 
This characteristic clearly distinguishes einkorn from multi-grained hulled wheats such as emmer
At maturity, the rachis breaks into individual segments, while the spikelets remain firmly enclosed by the hulls
Awns:
The spike is typically awned
The awns arise from the lemmas and may extend clearly beyond the spikelets
Their length and development may vary depending on the genotype
Grain (caryopsis):
The caryopsis is small, comparatively narrow, elongated to elliptical, and usually has a distinct ventral groove
After maturity, the caryopsis remains firmly enclosed by the lemma and palea
Grain colour may vary from yellowish to yellowish-brown depending on the genotype