Relatives

Hordeum violaceum Boiss. et Huet - Violet barley.

Taxonomical position.

Family Poaceae Benth., Genera Hordeum L.

Morphology and biology.

Perennial plant. Forms friable tussocks. Stalks 40-70 cm tall. Leaves flat, 2-5 mm wide, sharply rough. Spikes 4-8 (10) cm long, cylindrical, dark violet, less often bright violet or nearly green. Spikelet scales slightly exceed flower scales in length. The bottom floral scales of the middle flower has very short (1-3 mm) awn or is nearly awnless. Blossoms in June-August. Anemophilous. 2n=14.

Distribution.

Occurs throughout the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and Iran.

Ecology.

Occurs in meadows, on stony slopes and among pebbles in the middle and high mountain belts.

Use and economic value.

Fodder.

Reference citations:

Grossgeim, A.A. 1939. Flora of Caucasus. Vol. 2. Polypodiaceae-Gramineae. Baku: Publishing house AzFaN, 587 pp.
Tzvelev N.N. 1976. Grasses of the USSR. Leningrad: Nauka, 788 pp.

© L.L. Malyshev