Is it a native?

Bearded Oat - introduced (*Avena barbata)

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Other wild oats

oat oat oat oat
 

Native to the Mediterranean area. Annual. C3.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

Identification

  • it is a tall grass with an open flower spray
  • the glumes are longer than the lemma body
  • the spikelets have 2 (or sometimes 3) lemmas
  • the lemmas are long-awned
  • the awns rise from the back of the lemma
  • the lemmas are split into two narrow lobes at the tip, are densely silky hairy at the base, and have a long awn
  • the leaves are flat
  • the ligule is membranous, blunt, fringed and 2.5-6mm long.

    • Bearded Oat is very common in the district, and the great majority of the avenas are this species. It is very common along roadsides and in weedy areas.

    It is an environmental weed.

    Avena: oat; barbata: bearded, with tufts of long weak hairs.

    1,2,3 4: Spikelets 1: 3: Spikelet opened out, showing lemmas with brownish hairs at the base, the awn rising from the backs of the lemmas, and the bristly tips of the lemmas.
    5: Open flower cluster, typical of Bearded Oat. Castlemaine.