Sea Barley-grass

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Scientific Name: Hordeum marinum (syn. Critesion marinum)
Image: Sea Barley Grass
Population with maturing flower spikes

Status:
Native to coastal western and southern Europe.
Naturalised in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Plant Description:
Tufted annual grass with erect to spreading, smooth to softly hairy (hairs to 0.3 mm long) stems to 50 cm long and velvety-hairy, flat, leaves 4-15 cm long and 1.5-4 mm wide; ligule membranous, 0.5 mm long.

Inflorescence, a compact, much bristled, semi-flattened spike, 1.5-5 cm long, containing spikelets in groups of three. Each spikelet is composed of a single, central and awned floret and two bristles. A number of species have a similar inflorescence appearance (see notes on spikelet differences).

Habitat:
A colonizer of disturbed low-lying situations associated with pasture plants and some native communities. Widespread in saline areas.

Comments:
Similar to the saline land colonizer, Mediterranean Barley-grass (H. hystrix) and the non-saline land colonizer, Barley-grass (H. murinum).

Sea Barley-grass - flower spike
Sea Barley-grass - old flower spike
Sea Barley-grass - old flower spike

Sea Barley-grass - population with young flower spikes

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Scientific Name:	Hordeum marinum (syn. Critesion marinum)	Population with maturing flower spikes
Status:	Native to coastal western and southern Europe. Naturalised in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
Plant Description:	Tufted annual grass with erect to spreading, smooth to softly hairy (hairs to 0.3 mm long) stems to 50 cm long and velvety-hairy, flat, leaves 4-15 cm long and 1.5-4 mm wide; ligule membranous, 0.5 mm long. Inflorescence, a compact, much bristled, semi-flattened spike, 1.5-5 cm long, containing spikelets in groups of three. Each spikelet is composed of a single, central and awned floret and two bristles. A number of species have a similar inflorescence appearance (see notes on spikelet differences).
Habitat:	A colonizer of disturbed low-lying situations associated with pasture plants and some native communities. Widespread in saline areas.
Comments:	Similar to the saline land colonizer, Mediterranean Barley-grass (H. hystrix) and the non-saline land colonizer, Barley-grass (H. murinum).