Common barley vs meadow barley

Hordeum vulgare compared with Hordeum secalinum

Key Differences

• Common barley is Not Evaluated while meadow barley is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common barley	meadow barley
Kingdom same	Plantae (พืช)	Plantae (พืช)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order same	Poales (อันดับหญ้า)	Poales (อันดับหญ้า)
Family same	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Poaceae (Grass Family)
Genus same	Hordeum	Hordeum
Species	Hordeum vulgare	Hordeum secalinum

Evolutionary Relationship

Common barley and meadow barley share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Hordeum.

Conservation Status

Common barley

NE — Not Evaluated

meadow barley

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common barley	meadow barley
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common barley

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Sao Tome and Principe), Asia (7 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries).

meadow barley

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (10 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Chile).

Common barley

Common barley (<em>Hordeum vulgare</em>) is one of the world's oldest and most widely cultivated cereal grasses, with a cosmopolitan distribution spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. It thrives in a diverse range of habitats including grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated agricultural fields, demonstrating remarkable ecological adaptability. As a domesticated crop plant, <em>Hordeum vulgare</em> has been selectively bred for thousands of years and is now a staple grain used in food production, animal feed, and the brewing of beer and whisky. The plant typically grows as an annual grass, producing distinctive grain heads with elongated awns. It is particularly tolerant of cool, dry conditions, which has enabled its cultivation at higher altitudes and in regions where other cereals struggle. Barley is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it nutritionally significant. Its global distribution reflects both its natural range and extensive human-mediated dispersal. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 10 countries:

🇦🇺 Australia 🇦🇹 Austria 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇱 Chile 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden