Avena fatua

Species category

Weed

Common name

wild oat

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.

Shape

Lanceolate

Size

  • Length: 13 mm
  • Width: 2.5 mm
  • Thickness: 2.5 mm

Color

Yellow, brown and near black

Texture

GranularGranular:
Resembling or consisting of small grains or particles.
; callusCallus:
The hard base of grass florets or spikelets, just above the point of disarticulation.
and rachillaRachilla:
The axis of a spikelet.
with stiff hairs

Lemma

Linear veins lighter than background

Palea

Mostly covered with lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.

Other structures

GeniculateGeniculate:
Bent at a sharp angle.
awn; callusCallus:
The hard base of grass florets or spikelets, just above the point of disarticulation.
by complete abscission.

Identification notes

AwnAwn:
A narrow, bristle-like organ, as on the glumes or lemmas of grasses (Poaceae).
arising from middle of lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
, with the geniculation beyond the end of the lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
. The lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
texture is granularGranular:
Resembling or consisting of small grains or particles.
unlike Avena sativa which is smooth. Seldomly there are hairs on the lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
.

Noxious weed seed categories

State Noxious Weed: Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming

 *** SEE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS FOR INTERPRETATIONS ***

AOSA examination list

Included

Nomenclature

Family

Poaceae

Valid name

Avena fatua L.

Synonyms

Avena fatua L. var. glabrata Peterm.
Avena fatua L. var. vilis (Wallr.) Hausskn.

 Avena fatua.  Lemma with lighter veins.
Avena fatua. Lemma with lighter veins.
 Avena fatua.  Lemma is mostly hairless. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Avena fatua. Lemma is mostly hairless. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Avena fatua.  Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Avena fatua. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Avena fatua.  Lanceolate floret. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Avena fatua. Lanceolate floret. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Avena fatua.  Awn arising from the middle of the lemma. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Avena fatua. Awn arising from the middle of the lemma. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Avena fatua.  Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Avena fatua. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.