Hordeum hexastichon
L.
Poaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Six-Row Barley
General Information
Hordeum hexastichon is an annual plant that can grow up to 1.20 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
Range
Of uncertain origin.
Habitat
Not known in a truly wild situation.
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 1.20 m |
| Pollinators | Wind |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in most soils and in climates ranging from sub-arctic to sub-tropical[
171- Title
- Economic Botany.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hill. A. F.
- Publisher
- The Maple Press
- Year
- 1952
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some detail about the plants it does cover.
]. Easily grown in light soils[
162- Title
- Ornamental Grasses.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grounds. R.
- Publisher
- Christopher Helm
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-7470-1219-9
- Description
- Cultivation details of many of the grasses and bamboos. Well illustrated.
].
This species is considered by most botanists to be no more than a part of H. vulgare[
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
].
Edible Uses
Seed - cooked. The seed can be ground into a flour and used as a cereal in making bread, porridge etc[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
,
34- Title
- The Oxford Book of Food Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1975
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.
,
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Malt is obtained by sprouting and roasting the seed. This is a sweet substance and is used in making beer and as a food[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
,
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
The roasted (unsprouted) seed is used as a coffee and a salt substitute[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The stems, after the seed has been harvested, have many uses. They are a source of fibres for making paper, a biomass for fuel etc, they can be shredded and used as a mulch[
141- Title
- Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Carruthers. S. P. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- 0704909820
- Description
- Some suggested alternative commercial crops for Britain. Readable. Produced by a University study group.
,
171- Title
- Economic Botany.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hill. A. F.
- Publisher
- The Maple Press
- Year
- 1952
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some detail about the plants it does cover.
].
Propagation
Seed - sow in situ in early spring or early autumn 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.
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
