Thursday 9 June 2011

Wall Barley

Wall barley, Hordeum murinum, on the verge of Gates Green Road, Coney Hall. 8 June 2011.
Wall barley, Hordeum murinum, on the verge of Gates Green Road, Coney Hall. 8 June 2011.
When dry, the seed heads of this grass pull apart into little missiles that children can throw. They can easily stick in fur, or into a woollen garment. Against any surface, their movement is possible in only one direction. The example below is hanging on to my jeans. While not as clinging as burdock seed heads, they are much more prolific and accessible earlier in the year.
Seed head of wall barley, Hordeum murinum. 8 June 2011.
Seed head of wall barley, Hordeum murinum. 8 June 2011

1 comment:

  1. So now, after more than half a century, I know what a burdock looks like, and it's another of those things that Blossfeldt photographed (as you did, too). I just googled the line I remembered, 'Oh burdock, and you other dock', and up she came: http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=74154
    I mean, it might have been Sara Teasdale or a verse in "Sliver Pennies". It might have taken my hours to get around to the Collected Verse of E. St. V. M. You tempt me to go shopping for a tiny Canon which is so much better than my tiny Nikon S-1. Not that I don't love my other Nikons.

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