Ear of wheat (Period)

Grain is cereal grass that has been cultivated for food.  In period armory, grain is normally depicted as a single ear, with a bit of stalk couped; this is blazoned simply as an “ear of [grain]”, with the type of grain specified.  Many types of grain are found in period heraldry:  ears of wheat are found in the canting arms (Portuguese trigo) of Triguieros, c.1540 [Nobreza xxxviº], ears of barley in the canting arms (French orge) of Orgemont, c.1460 [GATD 54v], and ears of rye in the canting arms of Riddell of That Ilk, mid-16^th C. [Lord Crawford’s Armorial, fo.141v].  Ears of grain are palewise by default; the illustration shows an ear of wheat.

We also have rare examples of “stalks of [grain]”, showing the full stalk and leaves topped by the ear.  Thus, while the arms of Triguieros use ears of wheat, the crest shows stalks of wheat.  Like the ears, stalks are palewise by default.

For related charges, see garb.  See also fruit.

Antonio de Gregorio bears:  Vert, a stalk of wheat inverted surmounted by two stalks of wheat in saltire Or.

Annika Iosafova bears:  Per fess gules and ermine, in chief four ears of wheat Or.

Edric Longfellow bears:  Per pale gules and azure, two stalks of barley in saltire within a bordure Or.