Aegilops triuncialis aka Jointed Goat Grass

Aegilops triuncialis is a grass in the Poaceae family. It is an annual, living for just one growing season. People call it barbed goatgrass or barb goatgrass. Its native range runs from the Mediterranean to Central Asia and Pakistan. It includes parts of southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Kew places it in the subtropical biome, a broad climate region. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. The RHS gives Aegilops triaristata as another name for it.

This small grass grows to about 1 foot (0.3 metres). It does not form a plant that lasts for years. In the wild, it grows in dry grassland. It also grows on rocky ground and dry hills. Other sites include clay-rich semi-deserts and land among crops. These records show that it can act as a weed. The sources give no clear leaf or stem details. They give no flower colour or dates for bloom. Each flower has both male and female parts. Wind carries the pollen.

Plants For A Future says it needs an open site without shade. It grows in sand, loam, and clay, even heavy clay. The soil must drain well but may be dry or moist. It copes with slightly acid, neutral, or slightly alkaline soil. The source gives USDA hardiness zones 8–10. It also says the grass is not frost tender. At Kew, it has set seed during cool summers. The source gives these growing notes with some doubt. Little is known about how to grow this species.

You can raise new plants from seed. Plants For A Future suggests sowing outdoors in March or April. Give seeds a light soil cover. Keep the soil from drying out until they sprout. Or sow under glass in early March. Those plants can go outdoors in May. The source lists beds used for growing plants as a possible site. Bear its weed risk in mind when choosing a site. The evidence names no specific pests or diseases that cause problems.

The seeds are edible, but their small size makes them hard to prepare. People have used them as a fallback grain for bread. Plants For A Future rates their food value as low. It reports no known uses as medicine or known hazards. That record does not prove safety for every person or animal. The species may also be of use in wheat breeding. Plants For A Future links this to proposed crosses with early wheat forms. It reports no other established uses.