Sterile oats, Wild winter oat
Avena sterilis
Family: Poaceae
What it is like
A tall annual grass. It is green or bluish-green. The stems can be single or in groups. The leaves are narrow and about 15 mm wide. They can have some hairs on the edges. The ligule is 4-6 mm long. The flower is a loose panicle. The spikelets droop on slender stalks. The awn is slender and 30-60 mm long and twisted below a distinct elbow. The flowers fall as a unit and the spikelet does not break up.
There are about 25 Avena species.
Where it is found
It is a Mediterranean plant. It grows on cultivated and waste ground. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 800 m above sea level. Tasmanian Herbarium.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, Mediterranean, Middle East, Portugal, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Syria, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds, cereal
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Jalovi oves
Synonyms
Avena sativa subsp. sterilis (L.) de Wit;