Derivation
Hordeum L., Sp. Pl. 84 (1753); Hordeum is the ancient Latin name for barley.

murinum- from the Latin murus (wall) and -ina (belonging to). Growing on walls.

Common synonyms
Critesion murinum (L.) A.Löve

Habit
Annual, tufted. Culms 6–60 cm tall, 3–5-noded. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.5–1 mm long, hyaline. Leaf-blades 2–20 cm long, 2–8 mm wide.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence solid, a spike. Spikes 1, erect, 4–12 cm long. Spike internodes oblong. Rhachis fragile at the nodes, flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets
Spikelets in threes. Pedicels oblong. Companion spikelets developed, containing empty lemmas or male florets, lanceolate, dorsally compressed, 5–9 mm long, shorter than fertile, deciduous with the fertile. Companion spikelet glumes indurate, 13–32 mm long, ciliate on margins. Companion spikelet lemmas 7–11 mm long, with a single 8.5–40 mm long awn. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate, dorsally compressed, 6–10 mm long, falling entire, deciduous with accessory branch structures.

Glumes
Glumes collateral, similar, gaping. Lower glume subulate or oblong, 20–30 mm long, equalling upper glume, cartilaginous or indurate. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex awned. Upper glume subulate, 20–30 mm long. Upper glume margins ciliate.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate or elliptic, 7–14 mm long, coriaceous, 5-nerved. Lemma surface scabrous, rough above. Lemma apex acuminate, 1-awned. Median (principal) awn 15–45 mm long overall, limb scabrous. Anthers 3, 0.7–1.6 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex. Grain with adherent pericarp, ellipsoid, grooved, hairy at apex. Embryo 20% of length of grain. Hilum linear, 100% of length of caryopsis.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Tasmania: North West, East Coast.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Pooideae: Triticeae

Notes
Introduced.

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