Avena sativa L.

Erect, green to glaucous tufts, 50–150 cm. Leaf-sheath glabrous or slightly hairy. Ligule (2)–3–5 mm, ± rounded, finely denticulate, abaxially finely scabrid. Leaf-blade 15–40 cm × (2.5)–7–15 mm, ± finely scabrid on ribs; margins finely scabrid, sometimes with a few scattered hairs. Culm erect or decumbent and rooting at base, internodes glabrous. Panicle 14–32 cm, very variable in shape, loose or contracted, equilateral to secund; branches horizontal to ± erect, slender, finely scabrid. Spikelets (15)–20–30–(40) mm, 2–(3)-flowered, pendulous on fine unequal pedicels; falling intact at maturity. Glumes 9–11-nerved. Lemma 10–18 mm, ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, or with a few hairs towards base, apex obtuse or shallowly notched, red-brown, grey, yellow, white or blackish, usually awnless, but lowest or sometimes all florets in certain cultivars bearing a weak, straight or curved awn, not geniculate and scarcely twisted at base. Palea keels with 1 row of cilia, interkeel scabrid or glabrous. Anthers 2–4.2 mm. Caryopsis 4–9 × 1.5–3 mm.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]