Japanese | English  
Wheat Taxonomy

A mirror of the wheat taxonomy page summarized by W. John Raupp (Wheat Genetics Resource Center, Kansas State University) with his permission.

Wheat Taxonomy

Welcome to the Wheat Classification Tables Site. These tables of taxonomic classifications for wheat species, their synonyms, and supplementary information have been compiled as part of the GrainTax project [GrainTax on GrainGenes]. Created in response to recommendations made at the Taxonomy Workshop held at the 9th International Wheat Genetics Symposium held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, 2-9 August, 1998 [GrainTax Project], the GrainTax system offers a comprehensive on-line source for information about wheat taxonomy.

The GrainTax project depended on the volunteer efforts of the GrainTax organizers, Laura A. Morrison, W. John Raupp, Dave Matthews, Gerald Lazo, Jan Dvorak, Giles Waines, Pat McGuire, and Mary Barkworth.

The 26 Classification Tables on this site are organized into Historical and Current categories. Historical Classifications have strongly influenced modern wheat taxonomy. The 13 Current Classifications illustrate the ongoing controversy in generic and species concepts and the resulting confusion over conflicting names for the wheats.

Each classification has been corrected for errors in nomenclature and authority citations. Unaccepted names [Unaccepted Names Page] are indicated.

Users should note that there is no 'correct' classification of Triticum and Aegilops. Each of the current classifications has problems with names, whether as unaccepted names or as names with unresolved issues of synonymy. For a comparison of the most often used classification, see the Comparative Triticum and the Comparative Aegilops tables. GrainTax does not endorse any classification. The GrainTax organizers offer the following recommendations to help alleviate some of the confusion in the use of wheat taxonomy: (1) do not mix and match classifications; follow one classification of Triticum and Aegilops and (2) in research articles, conference presentations, and communications dealing with wheat germ plasm, always cite which classification of Triticum and Aegilops you are following.

CURRENT CLASSIFICATION TABLES

Triticum L. Aegilops L.
Dorofeev et al. 1979 Hammer 1980
Gandilyan 1980 Witcombe 1983
Löve 1984 Löve 1984
Flora of Turkey 1985 Flora of Turkey 1985
Kimber & Sears 1987
Kimber & Feldman 1987
van Slageren 1994
Mac Key 1988
van Slageren 1994
Comparative Table Comparative Table

HISTORICAL CLASSIFICATION TABLES

Triticum L. Aegilops L.
Thellung 1918 Zhukovsky 1928
Percival 1921 Eig 1929
Nevski 1934 Kihara 1954
Flaksberger 1935 Chennaverraiah 1960
Schiemann 1948
Jakubziner 1958
Bowden 1959
Mac Key 1966
Morris & Sears 1967

SUPPLEMENTARY TABLES

page-top