Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Montana, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed areas.
Flowers: May-June
Origin: Introduced Eurasian
Growth Duration: Annual
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Wind
Annuals up to 1 m. tall, the culms hollow, glabrous or with a few long hairs.
Sheath open; ligules 2-4 mm. long, puberulent, obtuse; blades 3-6 mm. broad, scabrous, flat.
Inflorescence a large, open panicle, the spikelets pendulous; spikelets 2- or 3-flowered; glumes 2.2-2.5 cm. long, exceeding the upper floret, membranous, the first 7-nerved, the second 9-nerved; lemmas with stiff, reddish hairs on the lower half, split at the tip into 2 pointed teeth; paleas shorter than the lemmas; rachilla prolonged behind the upper floret; lodicules 2 mm. long.
Utricle
Publication: J. Bot. (Schrader) 1799(2,2): 314-315 [1800]. 1799.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Avena barbata in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Avena barbata checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Avena barbata information.
E-Flora BC: Avena barbata atlas page.
CalPhotos: Avena barbata photos.
USDA Plants: Avena barbata information.
