Scientific Name

Hordeum brachyantherum Nevski

Common Name(s)

Meadow barley

Tribe / Family Name

Triticeae

Flowering Period

June to August

Symbol

HOBR2

Description

Meadow barley is a native cool-season perennial bunchgrass. Culms range from 30–70 cm in height. Its inflorescence is an erect, slender spike that is usually 2–5 cm long, green to somewhat purple, and shattering at maturity. Spikelets are 3 per node and 1-flowered: the central spikelet sessile and bisexual; the lateral spikelets pedicelled and staminate. Glumes of the central and lateral spikelets are awn-like, ascending to somewhat divergent at maturity, and 7–20 mm long. Lemmas of the central spikelet are up to 10 mm long, usually glabrous, rarely pubescent, faintly 5-nerved, and awned up to 14 mm long; lemmas of the lateral spikelets are rudimentary to well-developed and awned up to 7.5 mm long. Sheaths are open and glabrous or densely pubescent. Auricles are absent. Ligules are short (up to 0.7 mm long), membranous, truncate, ciliolate, and glabrous. Blades are up to 19 cm long, up to 8 mm wide, flat, and glabrous or with hairs on both surfaces.

General Info

Meadow barley is a moderately drought tolerant species that can be found along roadside ditches, riparian corridors, streambanks, and rocky ridges, in moist mountain meadows, springs, seeps, pastures, woodlands, salt marshes, dry sagebrush deserts, and montane to subalpine sites.

Similar Species

Meadow barley looks similar to other barley (Hordeum) species, especially foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum). To distinguish these two species from each other, look at the seed heads and the length of the spikelets. Meadow barley has seed heads that are erect with shorter spikelets, and foxtail barley has seed heads that are droopy with longer spikelets.