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Avena fatua

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: Avena

wild oat

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Stout annuals.

Stems: Culms (stems) (2.5–)4.5–9(–19) dm tall.

Roots: Fibrous root system.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades flat, 3–10(–15) mm wide. Surfaces scabrous to somewhat pilose. Margins entire. Veins parallel. Sheaths glabrous, smooth, with margins overlapping and eventually spreading; ligule 2–5.5(–7) mm long, obtuse, erose–ciliate, often pubescent. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences paniculate, 10–25 (–38) cm long, open; spikelets 2–3(4)–flowered, rachilla densely pubescent, readily disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes prominently (7–)9–11 nerved, first glume narrowly lanceolate, 19–26(–29) mm long, apex acuminate, second glume lanceolate,20–28(–30) mm long, apex acuminate; lemmas 14–20(–23) mm long, 5–7–nerved, the nerves often obscure on the glossy, indurate lower 72, glabrous to moderately pilose, bilobed, the lobes less than 1 mm long, callus usually densely pilose, awns usually only on first 2 florets, (18–)28–45(–52) mm long, stout, tightly twisted below the knee, tapering above; palea firm, the 2 keels ciliate. caryopsis pale brown, linear-lanceoloid, ca. 6 mm long, appressed pubescent. Florets bisexual (perfect). Stamens 3. Ovary superior.

Fruit: Caryopsis shorter than the lemmas; concealed at maturity; terete (cylindrical); ventrally grooved; pubescent.

Ploidy: 2n = 14; 28; 42; 48

Habitat: In Hawai'i; common to occasional in pastures and along roadsides.

Elevation Range: 150–1,280 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Synonyms (56)

Anelytrum avenaceum Hack. (1910)
Avena ambigua Schönh. (1850)
Avena cultiformis (Malzev) Malzev (1934)
Avena fatua f. deserticola Hausskn. (1899)
Avena fatua f. subcontracta Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua subsp. brevipilosa Kiec (2001)
Avena fatua subsp. cultiformis Malzev (1930)
Avena fatua subsp. glabrata (Peterm.) Piper & Beattie (1915)
Avena fatua subsp. intermedia Nyman (1882)
Avena fatua subsp. meridionalis Malzev (1929)
Avena fatua subsp. septentrionalis (Malzev) Malzev (1929)
Avena fatua subvar. naniformis Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua subvar. pseudonana Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua subvar. pumila Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua subvar. zine Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua var. acidophila Kiec (2001)
Avena fatua var. alcaliphila Kiec (2001)
Avena fatua var. alta Kiec (2001)
Avena fatua var. altissima Kiec (2001)
Avena fatua var. elongata Malzev (1930)
Avena fatua var. glabrata Peterm. (1841)
Avena fatua var. glabrescens Coss. & Durieu (1855)
Avena fatua var. gravis Kiec (2001)
Avena fatua var. hyugaensis Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua var. intermedia (T.Lestib.) Lej. & Courtois (1828)
Avena fatua var. leiocarpa Malzev (1930)
Avena fatua var. levis Kiec (2001)
Avena fatua var. longiflora Malzev (1930)
Avena fatua var. longispiculata Malzev (1930)
Avena fatua var. mollis Keng (1940)
Avena fatua var. nipponica Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua var. pilosa Syme (1872)
Avena fatua var. pilosiformis Yamag. (1975)
Avena fatua var. pilosissima Gray (1822)
Avena fatua var. pseudoculta Malzev (1930)
Avena fatua var. pseudofatua Schur (1866)
Avena intermedia T.Lestib. (1827)
Avena japonica Steud. (1854)
Avena lanuginosa Gilib. (1792)
Avena ludoviciana subvar. glabrescens (Durieu ex Godr.) Husn. (1897)
Avena ludoviciana var. glabrescens Durieu ex Godr. (1856)
Avena meridionalis (Malzev) Roshev. (1932)
Avena meridionalis var. grandis Roshev. (1932)
Avena nigra Wallr. (1840)
Avena occidentalis Durieu (1864)
Avena patens St.-Lag. (1889)
Avena persica var. glabrescens (Durieu ex Godr.) Tzvelev (2019)
Avena pilosa Scop. (1771)
Avena sativa subsp. fatua (L.) Thell. (1912)
Avena sativa var. fatua (L.) Fiori (1923)
Avena sativa var. sericea Hook.f. (1896)
Avena septentrionalis Malzev (1913)
Avena sterilis Delile ex Boiss. (1884)
Avena sterilis subsp. fatua (L.) Bonnier & Layens (1894)
Avena sterilis subvar. glabrescens (Durieu ex Godr.) Husn. (1897)
Avena sterilis var. glabrescens (Durieu ex Godr.) Thell. (1911)

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Lana'i Not in flora
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 80 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1499 (K, O, L, M, H); Faccenda 2025b:112 (remove L [re-IDed as A. barbata]); Lee 236 BISH (K†, 1925)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Avena fatua Road to Makawao Wailuka Along roadside Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 1708 Maui BISH 1937-01-20
2 Avena fatua Manoa Valley Roadside Preserved_Specimen Heighth of plant 1 m Merrill 25 Oahu BISH 1924-08-25
3 Avena fatua Waikii, S. Kohala; Aalii paddock Aalii paddock Occasional in pasture Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 2076 Hawaii BISH 1938-05-24
4 Avena fatua Ohaikea, Kau Occasional in open pasture Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 2005 Hawaii BISH 1938-04-20
5 Avena fatua Pohakuloa Along the Saddle Road 1/2 mi N.E. of the state park Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 399 Hawaii BISH 1967-03-29
6 Avena fatua Waikii, Mauna Kea, Hamakua In patches in semi-dry place Preserved_Specimen Occasional Hosaka, E.Y. 1622 Hawaii BISH 1936-09-18
7 Avena fatua Kokee Open meadow Growing in clumps Preserved_Specimen Plants 1 m high, flower green Lee, H.A. 236 Kauai BISH 1925-11-22
8 Avena fatua Hawaii National Park Kilauea, Park Residence No. 5 Preserved_Specimen Fagerlund, G.O. 623 Hawaii BISH 1943-06-08
9 Avena fatua Bottom of Nike Site Road, Mokuleia Preserved_Specimen Kawelo, K. 45 Oahu BISH 2007-04-10
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