Hordeum secalinum Schreb.

Graminae

Synonyms

Hordeum pratense Huds., H. nodosum auct non L.

Common names

Meadow barley (English), Orge faux-seigle (French), Roggen gerste (German).

Description

Perennial plant, medium size, slightly hairy, cespitous. Stems erect, 30 - 80 cm high. Blade rolled when young, flat, narrow, hairy or not. Sheath always hairy. Ligule short, truncate. Very short auricles. Spike-like inflorescence, slender, cylindrical. Spikelets with 1 fertile flower. Spikelets clustered per 3, the laterals sterile. Spikelets aristate, the centre spikelet, with a quite long awn. The weight of 1000 seeds is 4.0 to 5.0 g (big seeds). Chromosome number: 2n = 28.

Temperature

Large climate range.

Water

Tolerates drought.

Soil

Optimum on normally drained soils. Large range of nutrient availability. Optimum on neutral to slightly acid soils. More frequent on clay soils.

Distribution

Native to western and southern Europe, to Asia Minor and North Africa.

References