A type of primitive barley, a landrace, still grown in the Orkneys. It has been produced by selection by farmers over many thousands of yhear. The grains are arranged in six rows down the ear. In most modern barleys they are arrange in only two rows. It is a spring barley, planted and harvested in the same year, and has low yields, It has long but weak straw so that it often falls over (lodges) just before harvest. Modern varieties have been bred with short straw length so that high levels of fertiliser can be used without them lodging. Not an ideal variety!
