Description edit
First described in 1818 and 1887 by Thomas Nuttall, Hordeum pusillum is an annual grass and a member of the Poaceae (grass) family. Hordeum pusillum, also known as "little barley," is a member of the subfamily Festucoideae. The plant itself can grow to be around 14-40 centimeters tall and is self-fertilizing.[1] It's leaves and spikelets are alternate each other. The leaves can range anywhere from 2.45 to 12.7 centimeters in length and 2 to 4.5 millimeters wide. The leaves are flat and pubescent. The sheath of the little barley can be either glabrous or pubescent wraps loosely around the stem.[2] Its inflorescence ranges between 4-8 centimeters long. Of the three alternating floral spikelets, only one is fertile. The plant's growth period is during the winter months, producing mature grains by April." [1] The roots are fibrous, and the mark of a mature spikelet is when they turn a tan to brown color. The stems as well turns from a bluish color to brown as the plant matures. [3] It grows best in a sunny, dry and gravely location. [2]
Germination edit
Little barley germinates best when exposed to light, and experiences best germination after 1-2 weeks of prechilling, anymore than that and the viability of seeds decreases over time. After 2 weeks of prechilling, little barley seeds go into dormancy, allowing little barley to overwinter and come back year after year. Seeds germinate best at 17 and 20 degrees celsius. The more mature the seeds, the better they germinate. [4]
Pollination edit
Little barley is an annual flowering monocot, in general wheats are self-pollinating and pollinated by wind. Pollination occurs during the winter through the summer. [5] The center spikelet is fertile whilst the lateral spiklets are male and infertile.
Nativity edit
Hordeum pusillum is native to the majority of North America, mainly the United States of America and parts of Canada.[6] It's found commonly on roadsides, ditches, and disturbed areas.[7]
Weed edit
Little barley can suppress the growth of more desirable forage grasses. Little barley is best controlled prior to its dormancy in the fall or early spring, and can be further controlled through the use of the herbicides such as Gramoxone, Olympus, Maverick, or Accent. Spring usage of herbicides has also been found effective at controlling the growth of little barley, in pastures, however; late winter/early spring treatment with Accent has been found effective. Prolonged usage of herbicides can result in higher tolerance.[8]
Etymology edit
Common names little barley and little wild barley.
Hordueum is comes from the latin word horreō, horrēre "to bristle."
pusillum is the "nominative nueter singular of pusillus"- "very little, very small, tiny."
Domestication edit
Little barley is believed to have been cultivated by Native Americans due to its general abundance. Earliest known cultivation in North America occurred in Louisa County, Iowa. It was found alongside domesticated goosefoot seeds and squash/gourd rinds. In order to cultivate little barley, large plots were required due to the grain's small size. Little barley cultivation may have been important in. understanding in pre-maize agriculture. [9]Hordeum pusillum was briefly domesticated during the Prehispanic period. Evidence suggests domestication took place in the southeastern and southwestern United States. In the Southeastern and midwestern United States, however; domestication lasted through the Middle Archaic and protohistoric periods.[1] To the Hohokam culture, archeological evidence suggests that little barley was used for trade between other tribes that whose diet did not normally included domesticated little barley. [1]
Uses edit
Edibility edit
The grains would be dried, processed, and then cooked before eating.[1] Cultivated for its edible grains, it is also classified as a cereal grain. Little barley seeds have an awn, a sharp hair-like attachment on the grain, which was then seperated from the grain and possibly parched, roasted, and boiled. The seeds are nutritious and starchy.[9]100 grams of little barley constitutes almost 24.3 percent of carbohydrates, 22.4 percent of protein, 18 percent of calories, and 5-6 percent of fiber and fat of a recommended daily 2,000-calorie diet.[1]
Allergenicity edit
Little barley is a known mild allergen, people displaying an allergy to Hordeum pusillum may also exhibit an allergy towards other wheats.
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Minnis, Paul E. (2016-09). New Lives for Ancient and Extinct Crops. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-3422-7.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Hordeum pusillum (Little Barley): Minnesota Wildflowers". www.minnesotawildflowers.info. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ "Little Barley // Mizzou WeedID". weedid.missouri.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ Fischer, M. Leon; Stritzke, J. F.; Ahring, Robert M. (1982). "Germination and Emergence of Little Barley (Hordeum pusillum)". Weed Science. 30 (6): 624–628. ISSN 0043-1745.
- ^ "Little Barley (Hordeum pusillum) Species Details and Allergy Info". www.pollenlibrary.com. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ "USDA Plants Database". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
- ^ "NameThatPlant.net: Hordeum pusillum". www.namethatplant.net. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
- ^ "Weed of the Month: Carolina Foxtail and Little Barley". ipm.missouri.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ a b "Little Barley | The Office of the State Archaeologist". archaeology.uiowa.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-01.