common wheat

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• bread wheat
• soft wheat
• wheat
• Volunteer Wheat
• Common Wheat

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Triticum cereale var. aestivum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Poales and the family Poaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is completed by its classification in the genus Triticum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Triticum aestivum, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing within the borders of Denmark. The species is also present in the northern territories of Finland. Furthermore, its range extends to the islands of Great Britain and Iceland. Finally, this medicinal plant is documented to occur in Ireland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Triticum aestivum is characterized by its presence in anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), where it thrives due to human cultivation and land management. This species exhibits a broad vertical distribution across various landscapes, with an elevational range that spans from a minimum of 300 m AMSL to a maximum of 3200 m AMSL. On average, the plant is most commonly found at a mean elevation of 600 m AMSL, reflecting its adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients within human-modified environments.

Elevational range max:

3200 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

300 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Triticum aestivum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental sequence—from germination to seed production and senescence—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, its biological strategy relies on surviving unfavorable environmental conditions through the production of resistant seeds rather than maintaining vegetative structures. This life form allows the plant to persist in a dormant state until optimal moisture and temperature conditions trigger germination, facilitating a rapid progression through its vegetative and reproductive stages.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Triticum aestivum is characterized by a graminoid growth form, functioning as a non-woody herb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not exhibit climbing or vine-like behavior, nor does it act as a parasite, remaining entirely independent in its growth. As a terrestrial species, it does not possess aquatic or epiphytic tendencies. The plant's stature is variable, with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.4 m to a maximum of 1.6 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.97825 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

graminoid

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.6 m

Plant height mean:

0.97825 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Triticum aestivum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy and does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on soil-available nitrogen. Its foliar morphology is defined by relatively narrow, linear leaves, with a mean leaf width of 0.7 cm, ranging from a minimum of 0.6 cm to a maximum of 1.5 cm. These leaves reach a maximum length of 17 cm and possess a mean surface area of 28.455 cm². Furthermore, the plant demonstrates a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 227.6 cm²/g, reflecting the structural relationship between its leaf area and its dry mass density.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

17 cm

Leaf size mean:

28.455 cm²

Leaf width max:

1.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.7 cm

Leaf width min:

0.6 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

227.6 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Triticum aestivum is characterized by a sexual process facilitated by an inflorescence structured as a spike, which typically measures between 0.06 m and 0.18 m in length. The flowering period generally commences in June and concludes in July. As an abiotic pollination specialist, the plant relies on a wind-driven pollination syndrome to achieve fertilization, and self-fertilization is present within its reproductive cycle. Asexual reproduction is absent in this species. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces dry fruits containing seeds with a consistent mean length of 7.2 mm, a mean width of 3.6 mm, and a mean volume of 37 mm³. The seed mass varies slightly, ranging from a minimum of 0.02588 g to a maximum of 0.04153 g, with a mean mass of approximately 0.03975375 g. Dispersal is categorized by an unspecialized syndrome, though it is also noted for being anthropochorous, indicating that human activity plays a significant role in its movement and distribution.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit dryness :

dry

Inflorescence :

spike

Inflorescence length max:

0.18 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.06 m

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

7.2 mm

Seed mass max:

0.04153 g

Seed mass mean:

0.03975375 g

Seed mass min:

0.02588 g

Seed volume max:

37 mm³

Seed width mean:

3.6 mm

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Triticum aestivum has 247 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CHLOROPHYLL, Peroxidase, lysine, CATALASE, STARCH.

CHLOROPHYLL

1. Acta biologica Hungarica
2. Plant direct
3. Environmental science and pollution research international
4. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
5. Scientific reports

Peroxidase

1. BMC plant biology
2. Plant direct
3. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
4. Izvestiia Akademii nauk. Seriia biologicheskaia
5. Scientific reports

lysine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zeitschrift fur Ernahrungswissenschaft
3. Journal of plant physiology
4. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
5. Archiv fur Tierernahrung

CATALASE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Plant direct
4. Izvestiia Akademii nauk. Seriia biologicheskaia

STARCH

1. Dr. Duke
2. Environmental science and pollution research international
3. The Journal of nutrition
4. Journal of plant physiology

ferulic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Food & function
4. Pharmacological reports : PR

proline

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
4. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

FE

1. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
2. Journal of plant physiology
3. Marine pollution bulletin

Flavonoids

1. Journal of plant physiology
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society

H2O2

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. PloS one

Activities

Triticum aestivum has 703 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Cureus
4. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. BioMed research international
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of biological macromolecules

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of dietary supplements

Laxative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Triticum aestivum has 39 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include salt stress, oxidative stress, antioxidant, iron deficiency, salinity.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations