Practical
Plants

Hordeum murinum

Mouse Barley

an annual member of the Hordeum genus in the family Gramineae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Hordeum
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.5 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked. Used as a piñole[1][2][5]. Only used when easier and better foods were not available[5]. The seed can be ground into a flour and used as a cereal in making bread, porridge etc.

Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A decoction of the plant has been used in the treatment of bladder ailments[5].

Product or use
Diuretic

Environment

Range
Europe to N. Africa.
Habitat
Disturbed ground and dry grassland[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow in situ in March or October and only just cover the seed. Make sure the soil surface does not dry out if the weather is dry. Germination takes place within 2 weeks.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils and in climates ranging from sub-arctic to sub-tropical[4]. Easily grown in light soils[3].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  3. Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9

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  4. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

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  5. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

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