Rye
Family Gramineae (or Poaceae)
Secale cereale, rye (S. cereale 1), is a hardy tufted grass, 1-2 m high (S. cereale 2), resembling wheat, but with narrow, 1-leaved glumes. The spikelets are usually 2-flowered, long awned (S. cereale 3).
Distribution
Rye is an important crop in the colder parts of Europe and Russia, growing as far north as the polar circle and up to over 4000 m.
It was first domesticated in the first millennium BC, so it is a relatively newcomer to cultivation. Rye is now mainly cultivated in East Europe and Russia, its chief value being its winter hardness, resistance to drought and its ability to grow on light sandy soils.
Use
In Europe rye is mainly used for making black bread. In the US rye is used for making whisky and in Russia for making beer. In Holland (S. cereale 4) a characteristic type of gin, called jenever, is made out of rye. The straw is used in the paper and carton industry.