Annuals. Leaf-blades usually flat, sometimes rolled. Inflorescence a spike. Spikelets solitary at the nodes of the fragile or rarely tough rhachis, all bisexual or the upper sterile and the lower vestigial; florets 4-8, the upper male or vestigial; glumes equal, coriaceous, truncate or often with 1 or more teeth or awns, usually rounded on the back; lemma thin below, coriaceous and strongly nerved towards the toothed or awned tip; palea 2-keeled.

A genus of about 20-25 species in Europe and western Asia; 3 species occur in Pakistan.

The genus is closely related to and sometimes united with Triticum, but although hybrids occur the two genera are sufficiently distinct morphologically to warrant maintaining them both.

Aegilops kotschyi Boiss. has been reported from Pakistan, but according to Stewart (Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. 171. 1972) the material in question was probably collected in Afghanistan. No material definitely from our area has come to light. It differs from Aegilops triuncialis by its glumes having equally broad, evenly spaced nerves.

Lower Taxa

• Aegilops cylindrica Host
• Aegilops tauschii Coss.
• Aegilops triuncialis Linn.

Related Synonym(s):

• Aegilops squarrosa auct. non Linn. = Aegilops tauschii Coss.
• Triticum aegilops auct. non P. Beauv.; Hook.f. = Aegilops tauschii Coss.
• Triticum cylindricum (Host) Ces. = Aegilops cylindrica Host
• Triticum tauschii (Coss.) Schmalh. = Aegilops tauschii Coss.
• Triticum triunciate (Linn.) Rasp. = Aegilops triuncialis Linn.