Avena barbata Pott ex Link

wild oat


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

 Distribution of Avena barbata in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Avena barbata Inflorescence
Avena barbata Inflorescence
Avena barbata Inflorescence

Plant

Avena barbata Plant
Avena barbata Plant

Habit

Avena barbata Habit
Avena barbata Habit
Avena barbata Habit
Avena barbata Habit

Spikelets

Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata Spikelets
Avena barbata 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 )