Aegilops

Aegilops is a genus of plants in the Poaceae family. It is native to the Mediterranean region to Central Asia.

There are about 23 species and numerous subspecies in the genus. Several members are weeds. They grow even in winter, resembling winter wheat. They hybridize with various types of wheat and are sometimes classified as members of the genus Triticum.

Description

They're plants. Stems generally ascending, glabrous. Leaves co] delano or involute. Spike with 3-6 spikelets, falling off entirely at maturity; rachis deeply dug, with a spikelet at each node. Spikelets with 3-4 flowers, at least in the lower ones, and with 2 glumes. Glumes coriaceous, truncate, with (1-) 2-6 awns. Lemma with membranous lower part and hard, ridged upper part. Palea broadly elliptic, membranous, keeled, bidentate. Caryopsis narrowly ovoid, free.

Aegilop tauschii (or Aegilops squarrosa) is important in wheat genetics as a relative of common wheat Triticum aestivum.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Species Plantarum 2: 1050. 1753. The type species is: Aegilops triuncialis

Etymology

Aegilops: generic name of a herb given by Theophrastus, derived from the Greek aegilos = (a herb liked by goats, or a goat).

Species

• Aegilops bicornis
• Aegilops biuncialis
• Aegilops caudata
• Aegilops columnaris
• Aegilops comosa
• Aegilops crassa
• Aegilops cylindrical
• Aegilops geniculata
• Aegilops juvenalis
• Aegilops kotschyi
• Aegilops longissima
• Aegilops lorentii
• Aegilops mutica
• Aegilops neglecta
• Aegilops pilgrim
• Aegilops searsii
• Aegilops sharonensis
• Aegilops speltoides
• Aegilops tauschii
• Aegilops triuncialis
• Aegilops umbellulata
• Aegilops uniaristata
• Aegilops vavilovii
• Aegilops ventricosa