Avena barbata

Botanical Description

Avena barbata is an erect, annual grass producing one or more culms 30 - 100cm tall. The seed is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food - though usually only in times of shortage or mixed as a weed with other grain crops. Avena barbata is reported as being invasive in many parts of the world including Africa, the Americas, northern Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The plant was widely introduced to North America and other European countries both intentionally, as a fodder crop, and unintentionally in contaminated seed mixtures. It has spread widely in North America where it has been reported to displace native grass species. It is recorded as a noxious weed in the USA. In Australia, it outcompetes native grasses and forms a fibrous root system. It can also alter the fire regime of an area[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. , 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). ].