Avena barbata*
Pott ex Link. Schrader, Jour. für die Bot. 1799 (2): 315 (1800).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: Pott s. n., Jul 1796, Lusitania, ex cult. mea
1796 (LE). LT designated by ?; cited by Ali Chaudahry, Grass. Saudi Arabia 118
(1989).
Recent synonyms: A. alba auct.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (37), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (434), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2002] J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora
of the South West (405), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia (206), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (162), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora
of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (125).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (38,
Pl. 9), [1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (71), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst,
F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (207, Fig. 153), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(162).
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 30–140 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes glabrous.
Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Ligule an
eciliate membrane, 1–6 mm long, abaxially scaberulous or abaxially hairy,
obtuse. Leaf-blades 6–30 cm long, 2–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or
indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic, effuse, 7.5–36.5(–50) cm
long, 6–12 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret (2–3), comprising 2–3 fertile floret(s), with a barren rachilla
extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 16–30 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
without keels, 5–10 -nerved. Upper glume elliptic, 16–30 mm long, membranous,
without keels, 7–10 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 12–26 mm long, without keel, 7–9 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex dentate, awned, 1–3 -awned. Median (principal) awn
dorsal, 30–60 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Lateral lemma awns
present. Palea apex erose or dentate. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
Pacific, North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales,
Victoria, Tasmania, Lord Howe.
Western Australia:
Carnarvon. Irwin, Drummond, Dale, Menzies, Warren, Roe, Avon. South
Australia: Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eyre
Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo
Island, South-eastern. New South Wales: Central Coast, Southern
Tablelands, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes, South Far Western
Plains. Victoria: Grampians, Midlands, Murray Mallee, Riverina, Volcanic
Plain, Wannon, Wimmera. Tasmania: Furneaux Group, Midlands, East Coast.
Notes.
Introduced. Native of the Mediterarrean, now widely established in warmer
temperate and tropical regions. Common weed of disturbed land such as roadside,
railyards and pasture. Flowers Sept.-Jan. Fruits Oct.-Dec.
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