Einkorn (Triticum monococcum)
Einkorn is one of the first wheat varieties to be cultivated. It is most often not free threshing (the glumes remain around the grains). It can manage well on poorer soils, where other wheat varieties will not grow well. It can even be grown on stony soil. Each spikelet of the ear has only one grain, and most varieties have long awns. Einkorn is the only diploid wheat species.
The long slender soft straw is good for weaving baskets and other items.
There is a free threshing (hulless) type Triticum monococcum var. sinskajae. A problem with most free threshing einkorn types is that they often have many sterile spikelets, resulting in a low yield. This could probably be improved by selection or other breeding.
I have categorised hulless einkorn into three types, depending on their appearance.
- "Black and tan" has black edges on the hulls and dark awns.
- "Combed" has dun coloured spikes that look like they have been combed.
- "Club" has very pale short spikes as in club wheat.
Ordinary (non free threshing) einkorn