Info
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus etymology: Avena = "oat" [Latin]
Species etymology: barbata = "possessing a beard" [Latin] refering to the hairs of the callus
Photosynthetic type: C3 (cool season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1916
Map
Inflorescence
Plant
Habit
Spikelets
Description
Plants annual. Culms 60-80 (150) cm, initially prostrate, usually becoming erect. Sheaths of the basal leaves pilose, upper sheaths usually glabrous; ligules 1-6 mm, obtuse; blades 6-30 cm long, 2-20 mm wide, glabrous or pilose. Panicles 15-35.5 (50) cm long, 6-12 cm wide, erect or nodding. Spikelets 21-30 mm, with 2-3 florets; disarticulation beneath each floret; disarticulation scars elliptic to triangular. Glumes subequal, 15-30 mm, 7-9-veined; calluses bearded, hairs 2-3 mm; lemmas 15-26 mm, densely strigose below midlength, apices acute, biaristate, 2 veins extending 2-4 mm beyond the apices, awns 30-45 mm, arising about midlength, geniculate; lodicules narrowly triangular, without lobes on the wings; anthers 2.5-4 mm. 2n = 28.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M. & Long, S. (eds.) 1993. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. 911 pp. http://floranorthamerica.org/Avena_barbata )