Plants annual, biennial, or short-lived perennials; cespitose when perennial. Culms 25-120(300) cm. Sheaths open; auricles usually present, 0.5-1 mm; ligules membranous, truncate, often lacerate; blades flat or involute. Inflorescences laterally compressed, distichous spikes; middle internodes 2-4 mm, with 1 spikelet per node, spikelets strongly ascending; disarticulation in the rachises, below the spikelets, rachises not or tardily disarticulating in cultivated strains. Spikelets 10-18 mm, with 2(3) florets; florets bisexual. Glumes 8-20 mm, shorter than the adjacent lemmas, linear to subulate, scabrous, margins hyaline, 1-veined, keeled, keels terminating in an awn, awns to 35 mm; lemmas 8-19 mm, strongly laterally compressed, strongly keeled, keels conspicuously scabrous distally, scabrules 0.6-1.3 mm, apices tapering to a scabrous awn, awns 2-50 mm; anthers 3, 2.3-12 mm, yellow, x = 7. Haplome R.

Distribution

Conn., N.J., N.Y., Wash., D.C, Wis., Mass., Maine, N.H., R.I., Vt., Fla., Wyo., N.Mex., Tex., La., N.Dak., Nebr., Tenn., N.C., S.C., Pa., Alaska, Nev., Va., Colo., Md., Calif., Ala., Ark., Ill., Ga., Ind., Iowa, Ariz., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Ohio, Utah, Mo., Minn., Mich., Kans., Miss., Ky., Alta., B.C., Greenland, Man., N.B., Nfld. And Labr. (Labr.), N.S., N.W.T., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, S.Dak.

Discussion

Secale is a genus of three species. All are native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia; two species have been collected in the Flora region. Secale cereale is cultivated as a crop and used along roadsides to prevent soil erosion, and is established in the Flora region. Secale strictum has been cultivated experimentally; it is not established in the Flora region.

Unlike other cereal grasses such as Triticum, Hordeum, and Avena, species of Secale are outcrossing, although 5. sylvestre Host is reported to be self-compatible. All three species are diploids. Remains of cultivated rye dating to 6000 B.C. have been found in Turkey.

xTriticosecale is an artificially derived hybrid between Triticum and Secale that is now widely cultivated (see p. 261).

Selected References

Frederiksen, S. and G. Petersen. 1998. A taxonomic revision of Secale L. (Triticeae, Poaceae). Nordic J. Bot. 18:399-420.

Hitchcock, A.S. 1951. Manual of the Grasses of the United States, ed. 2, rev. A. Chase. U.S.D.A. Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 1051 pp.

Lower Taxa

Secale cereale, Secale strictum

Key

1	Plants annual or biennial; rachises not or tardily disarticulating; lemmas 14-18 mm long	Secale cereale
1	Plants perennial; rachises readily disarticulating; lemmas 8-16 mm long	Secale strictum