Triticum compactum

Triticum compactum is a species of club wheat. T. compactum is a hexaploid with 21 chromosomes. T. compactum is similar to common wheat, however it has a more compact ear due to shorter rachis segments. It is so similar to common wheat that it is often considered a subspecies of T. aestivum. Nearly all T. compactum is grown in the Pacific Northwest. T. compactum, like other club wheats, has been selectively bred for its lower protein content. Due to the process of selective breeding T. compactum has fewer HMW-glutenin genes than other species of wheat. Flour made from T. compactum is thus better suited for the production of cookies. T. compactum like other bread wheats have never been observed to grow in the wild.