Hordeum leporinum

Tufted annual, culms erect or geniculate, to 50 cm high. Leaves glabrous or sparsely hairy; blade flat, green, 4–15 cm long and 2–8 mm wide; ligule membranous, 0.5–1 mm long; auricles usually present, falcate, partially encircling stem. Inflorescence a dense cylindrical spike 3–10 cm long; article of rachis on which the units of each triad are united 2.5 mm long or more. Glumes subequal, 18–30 mm long, those of the bisexual central spikelet and inner glume of male lateral spikelets lanceolate, ciliate; outer glumes of lateral spikelets subulate; lemma of central spikelet 7–11 mm long, smooth or scabrous, with a straight terminal awn 18–35 mm long; lemma of lateral spikelets resembling that of central spikelet but longer, awns subequal to or longer than those of central floret; palea slightly shorter than body of lemma; anthers of central floret c. 1 mm long, usually pale, at least half as long as those of lateral florets. Flowers Sep.–Nov.