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
