Family:
Poaceae Barnhart
Genus:
Avena L.

Avena abyssinica Hochst.

This species is accepted, and its native range is NE. Tropical Africa.

[GB]
Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms erect; 70-100 cm long; 4 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5-10 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades 15-30 cm long; 6-11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 20-40 cm long; 5-15 cm wide. Panicle branches scaberulous. Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20-25 mm long; persistent on plant. Rhachilla internodes pilose; with 1-2 mm long hairs. Floret callus evident; bearded; obtuse.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20-25 mm long; persistent on plant. Rhachilla internodes pilose; with 1-2 mm long hairs. Floret callus evident; bearded; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 20-25 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 20-25 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 15-18 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above and on veins. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 36 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 10-13 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2-3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary pubescent all over.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; 7-8 mm long; hairy all over. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Africa: northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Aveneae. FTA 1993.

Native to:

Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia

Introduced into:

Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Avena abyssinica Hochst. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jan 1, 1970 Schimper, W. [1877], Ethiopia K000345082 isotype Yes

First published in W.P.Schimper, It. Abyssin. 3: 1877 (1846)

Accepted by

  • Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1993). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 2(2): 433-968. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.
  • Cope, T.A., Knees, S.G. & Miller, A.G. (2007). Flora of the Arabian peninsula and Socotra 5(1): 1-387. Edinburgh University Press.
  • Govaerts, R. (1995). World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2): 1-483, 1-529. MIM, Deurne.
  • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7: 1-430. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A Handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1993). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 2(2): 433-968. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.
  • Cope, T.A., Knees, S.G. & Miller, A.G. (2007). Flora of the Arabian peninsula and Socotra 5(1): 1-387. Edinburgh University Press.
  • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7: 1-430. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0