Allergy Information

The grass family in general is considered significant allergenically.

Genus Details

Cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an annual that sheds little pollen since it's self-pollinated. About 7 wild species of barley grow in the U.S. Two species, foxtail barley or squirrel-tail grass (H. jubatum), and mouse barley (H. murinum) are common weeds in the western U.S. Foxtail barley is a perennial that grows in tufts or mats with flat leaves. A spikelike flower or seed head resembles a fox or squirrel tail. Foxtail barley grows throughout the U.S. except in the southern states.

Pollen Description

Grains are spheroidal to ovoidal, sometimes elliptical. The exine is thin and the surface is granular to finely reticuloid. Poaceae apertures are 1-porate, with the pores usually circular to ovoidal.

Grains are 22-122 micrometers in diameter.

Genus Distribution

The shaded areas on the map indicates where the genus has been observed in the United States.

- Native, observed in a county 

- Introduced, observed in a county 

- Rarely observed