Poaceae FAMILY

Avena fatua

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Avena fatua is an annual, tufted grass with erect to ascending stems 30 - 150cm long. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. This is a widespread, noxious weed, considered to be among the world's worst agricultural weeds. It is found especially in fields of wheat and cultivated oats but also grows in other cultivated crops and on wasteland. Originally native to Europe and C and SW Asia, it has now spread throughout temperate regions of the world[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMacaronesia; widespread throughout temperate Eurasia; N. Africa - Morocco to Egypt.

HabitatA common weed of arable land and waste ground[ 1 Title RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Publication Author F. Chittendon. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1951 ISBN - Description Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]). , 57 Title Plants for Man. Publication Author Schery. R. W. Publisher Year ISBN Description Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world. ].