Mediterranean Barley-grass - introduced (*Hordeum hystrix)

Native to the Europe. Annual. C3.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

Other names: *Critesion hystrix.

Occurrence: Moderately common.

Identification:

• the flower cluster is dense and spike-like
• the spikelets are in threes and glumes and lemmas taper into long stout awns
• the glumes of the central spikelet and the lateral spikelets are narrow near the base, are rough to the touch, and hairless
• the leaves are flat and the leaf sheaths have hairs at least 0.5mm long
• the ligules are membanous and irregularly toothed, 0.5-1mm long.

It is an environmental weed.

hystrix: like a porcupine or hedgehog.

Mediterranean Barley-grass differs from other barley grasses

• the glumes of the central spikelet are narrow near the base, and taper to a point
• both glumes of the outer spikelets are narrow
• the glumes are rough to touch but not hairy
• the lower leaf sheaths are hairy with hairs more than 0.5mm. long.

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