wheat, any of several species of cereal grasses of the genus Triticum (family Poaceae) and their edible grains. Wheat is one of the oldest and most important of the cereal crops. Of the thousands of varieties known, the most important are common wheat (Triticum aestivum); durum wheat (T. durum), (alimentary pastes) club wheat (T. compactum), etc.
The wheat plant has long slender leaves and stems that are hollow in most varieties. The inflorescences are composed of varying numbers of minute flowers, ranging from *0 to **0. The flowers are borne in groups of two to six in structures known as spikelets.